


My Name...Is Zero

by Len_kun121958



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, Family, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:55:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 41,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26507050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Len_kun121958/pseuds/Len_kun121958
Summary: A phone call to the Moon Dorm President of Cross Academy leaves the night class with a challenging new addition to their close circle. A hunter child joins the ranks, slowly learning how to cope in a world he doesn't think he's meant for. Kaname wonders from afar what the boy's presence will mean for him, but that's hard to know when he won't speak. Will you ever talk to me, Zero?
Comments: 14
Kudos: 70





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back everyone! And hello if you're new! I've decided to, for now, post at least the first chapter of My Name...Is Zero because I desperately need something to work on. I don't know if this will be my "final" decision so to speak of what I move forward with long term. As I mentioned before if you've come from Silver Wings the numbers were really close and there wasn't a clear winner like last time. Maybe I should just do a good old fashioned poll? What do you think? Regardless, I wanted to get something up so here we go. As always if you enjoy it please let me know, I don't respond to flames, nothing is concrete, and don't get too comfortable. 
> 
> As always I will give one disclaimer only, right here right now, I don't own Vampire Knight otherwise it would be a lot gayer but I do own my OC's and my plots so if you plan to use them please at the very least credit me. I don't have to know about it, but it's courtesy. I will give any trigger warnings at the beginning of the chapters that contain potentially triggering content. That's enough of my ADHD rambling, please enjoy! ~Len

Silent Greetings

"Hello? What can I do for you Cross-san?" Kuran Kaname answered the phone in his study room while most of the night class were downstairs mingling with each other.

"Kaname-kun! Good to hear from you! I have a favor to ask and, unfortunately, it's not an easy one." the chipper tone of the headmaster quickly turned to something solemn and possibly even regretful which had Kaname slightly worried.

"What is the favor you ask of me?" he questioned, hoping the man hadn't lost his wonderful Yuuki anywhere or something.

"I need you to protect and hide someone for me for a time, it won't be too long I hope but I can't keep him here. The only survivor of the Kiryuu clan, the rest were murdered only a few hours prior to my call. I'm getting him cleaned up now but I can't keep him here. The Hunter's Association is already after him as well as many vampire rogues. Please, Kaname-kun, can you take him until he is safe enough to come back?" Kaien pleaded, he knew it wasn't going to be easy for the vampires to take in a hunter. Much less one as difficult as Zero. But it was essential for the boy to go somewhere else so he could be safe. Even if only for now.

"The boy has agreed to these arrangements willingly?" safe to say Kaname was skeptical, the child was of pure hunter blood after all not to mention that he was just ripped from his family by a vampire. A pureblood vampire no less, and now Kaien was pushing the child to live in a household of vampires he knows nothing of.

"Well, willingly would be pushing the truth quite a bit...basically he doesn't have a choice. Right now he is obedient but I fear if we wait it will be harder than it already is." the headmaster sighed as he looked around the room. Both Zero and Yuuki were upstairs but Yuuki would come down now and then to sneak food from the kitchen. Zero, on the other hand, had not come out of his room since he shut himself inside.

"Do you have any idea how he will react to vampires being in his presence? Much less a pureblood?" the Kuran prince almost wondered if the man had lost his mind.

"I don't, I also must warn you that the boy is very attached to his anti-vampire weapon, you may get threatened a few times in the beginning but it's unlikely he will actually shoot you." Kaname mentally smacked the ex-hunter, letting the child have a weapon in such a traumatic time? Was he an imbecile?

'Something like that yes.' the pureblood prince told himself. However, if the child was being so sought after maybe it made sense. It also made sense that Kaien wanted him out of his house, vampires and hunters alike often dropped by. If word got out then everyone would be in danger including his beloved Yuuki. With his sister in mind, the Kuran prince of vampires made his decision. "Very well, we will take the boy and raise him with us. I will come with my inner circle to retrieve him." he voiced, closing his eyes in mild irritation when he heard the 'man' squeal like a child.

"Thank you so much Kaname-kun! I appreciate it so much! I will go tell Zero and get him ready to meet you all!" Cross chirped before the line went dead.

'What did I just sign myself up for?' the pureblood prince questioned himself with a sigh. Getting up from his study, Kaname went down to his mingling nobles to address them. Not all of them would take the news well, two in particular would detest the child he was positive, but he was aware that none of them would object to his decision. Besides, he wasn't doing this for the boy, Yuuki's safety was the priority and she would be better without the hunter there.

"Good evening Kaname-sama." voices chorused as soon as he appeared at the stairs.

"Good evening, I have an announcement to make, we will be taking in another resident into our dorms. A young hunter, a child for that matter, on request of Headmaster Cross. We have been asked to retrieve him and keep him here until it is safe for him to leave again." he began immediately, not wanting to waste time, the sooner they had the boy the better for Yuuki.

"A hunter child? Residing here? With all due respect Kaname-sama, why have you decided to take the child in? Surely he will detest us." Souen Ruka, one of the two Kaname had expected to refute his decision, spoke up.

"Yes, it is possible he will, we do not know how he will react since he is young. His family was massacred only hours prior, I assume it was the work of a pureblood vampire. According to Cross, the boy is being sought after by hunters and vampires alike. He will be safest with us, and it will be safer for everyone else if he is here." he replied which shut all other questions off for now. "Now, we are to go get him from Headmaster Cross' office immediately. Is that understood?" he asked, the vampires nodded and rose from their places in order to line up at the door. Lining up by status order, the group walked to the office of Cross Kaien.

Zero looked up from where he sat at the window, moonlight cascading over his body, there was a group of vampires coming. A pureblood led the group of was it six? Seven maybe. Ranging from high-level C nobles to high-level B nobles. 'Fantastic.' he mentally sighed. He would be living with vampires now? He had heard every word of that loon Cross' phone call with Kaname was it? The pureblood he assumed, they were always the leaders. From his corner in the next room, the young hunter could hear Cross playing around with Yuuki, her squeals echoing down the hall. Meanwhile he tried to keep to himself as much as possible, unseen and unheard, nonexistent. A knock sounded at the door, so it was time to see these vampires he would be living around. He wasn't excited, to say the least. Another knock sounded, but Cross was still upstairs fooling around. With a sigh Zero focused on the lock of the door until it clicked and swung open, revealing the group of vampires.

"Headmaster Cross?" the obvious leader called out, stepping into the office-like apartment. A second later the flamboyant ex-hunter came rushing in with a large smile on his face.

"Welcome Kaname-kun! And everyone else! Please please come in, would anyone like tea?" he questioned, rocking onto his toes slightly, Zero rolled his eyes and focused on the door until it shut and locked. Kaname took notice of the phenomenon but said nothing about it.

"I believe it is best we get back to the moon dorms as soon as possible Cross-san." he replied with a slight nod. Kaien nodded, turning slightly more formal than before.

"I will get his things and bring them down. I must give you a warning however, it would be wise not to get too close and especially no touching." the headmaster advised, causing a few vampires to share looks.

'Just what kind of human are we letting into the moon dorms?' Aido questioned himself with no answer. Kaien walked upstairs to retrieve the child's small bag of belongings. Zero watched the interaction between the group, studying all of their features and auras to commit them to memory. He snorted when Kaien came back down looking confused and worried.

"Something wrong Cross-san?" a blond, high-level B noble, most likely to be the right hand of the pureblood Zero decided, spoke up. They too had noticed the looks the man was casting around the room.

"As easy as it is to find his belongings, finding the child is not so simple?" Kaname questioned with a knowing look to which the other nodded.

"I expected him to be in his room, considering he never comes out of it during the week, but I can't seem to find him. I'll be back momentarily." Kaien confessed, dropping the bag and heading into another room. As soon as the ex-hunter was out of eyesight Zero stood, flexing his bandaged hand and taking note of his physical state for the first time since he arrived. His hair was still partially matted with blood, his wounds were fresh and blood was soaking through some of the bandages on his torso and arms. His wrists too were bandaged, he noticed, and the slight stinging of the scratches down his legs started up again. His back had hurt the most, of course, marred with wounds both old and new. Feet were cut up from running across so much glass and splintered wood and yet despite how broken and weak he looked, Zero would make no sound of pain. No indication that his parents were killed, his brother gone, no. Nothing would breach the walls he created around him, he vowed to that. It was with that resolve, and Bloody Rose attached to his waist that he left his corner of protection and darkness aside from the moonlight through the window. Walking quietly, he didn't make a sound, with a suppressed aura he slipped along the wall until he stood in sight of the vampires. They didn't notice him, and he refused to stare until they did. Instead, he waited.

"Takuma." Senri Shiki all but whispered to the noble next to him, Takuma looked over and blinked, Shiki shifted his eyes in the direction of the small child who was standing quietly on the wall. He wasn't looking at them, but he was facing the group, silver hair draped over his eyes like a curtain, hiding them away. He was in rough shape, that much was obvious, but he carried no air of hostility yet. He was simply just waiting there.

"Kaname-sama." Takuma whispered lightly to the pureblood, when sensing he had the older's attention he continued by gesturing towards the boy. "Is that him?" he asked, slightly taken back by the child's appearance. Before anyone could call out to him however Kaien was bouncing back downstairs still looking for the boy.

"Oh! How long have you been standing there? I've been looking everywhere for you, you're going to give me a heart attack one of these days Zero-kun!" the ex-hunter overdramatized but made no move to approach the child. Zero only lifted his eyes to the man, beautiful amethyst eyes that were more captivating than anything Kaname had seen in a store. However, he noticed those eyes were heavily guarded and the mask the child was wearing could rival the pureblood's own poker face.

'He's already so guarded...this will not be easy.' the pureblood sighed to himself before turning to address the kid. "You are Zero then, are you aware of what has been arranged for you?" Kaname questioned, wondering just how hard it would be to breach those walls. The only response he received was a glance in his direction. Kaien shot a look of apology to the group of vampires and was about to open his mouth when a crash came from the window beside Zero and a level E vampire lunged for him. Without thought, Zero drew Bloody Rose and planted a bullet through the vampire's torso. A second later the being before him turned to ash. Blood was splattered up his hand from the bullet wound, ash fell in his hair and Kaname noticed some fresh bleeding from a torn open wound but Zero made no noise of pain or distress of the situation. He was completely emotionless.

'That wasn't normal.' Takuma blinked, not even sure if what happened just then even happened. 'He's beyond skilled for his age it seems.' the level B added on in his head. Kaname's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the scene before him, analyzing the young hunter's skill level.

"I'm going to check on Yuuki, that level E probably woke her, please stay as long as you need to Kaname-kun." Cross announced with a slightly tired look. Zero put his beloved gun away and looked back towards Kaname. Silently asking how long the vampire would stand there.

"Takuma, why don't we leave now, grab your things Zero. We're going to the moon dorms now." Zero didn't nod but walked to his things and picked them up before walking out the door, he wasn't going to bother with waiting for them all. He heard a snort of disappointment from behind him but paid no attention to it. Disapproval was nothing new to him after all, why would a vampire approve of him when not even the association hunters did.

'He's really quiet...' Shiki noted as Kaname went over the rules and regulations of the moon dorms, the boy listened without making a sound or moving more than blinking his covered guarded eyes. The model wondered if he was this quiet and reserved all the time or only because his parents' murder traumatized him so much.

"I'll have Takuma and Kain show you to your room now. Once you're settled come down and I will take you to the infirmary." Kaname instructed, not bothering to wait for the boy to nod or respond before he turned and walked off again. Zero watched him go until the two nobles stepped forward, one with a smile and the other looking bored and uninterested.

"As Kaname-sama said, we'll take you to your room now. I'm Ichijo Takuma and this is Kain Akatsuki though most of us just call him Kain." the smiling one introduced, Zero never understood the constantly happy people he came across and this vampire was no exception.

'Happiness is short-lived and faked, kindness is a mask for the cruel and cold.' The silverette told himself with an internal sigh. Picking up his things once again he turned to Takuma and Kain to have them show him to his room.

'Is he even still following us?' Kain wondered, he could practically see Takuma twitching as he tried to restrain himself from checking for the boy every thirty seconds. Despite himself the fire controlling noble felt the urge to laugh at the situation. A _human child_ was putting two mature nobles on edge.

Spacious would have been the best of the many words Zero had thought up as he ventured into the room. He set his bag down close to the door and gazed at the large bed, gray curtains and white walls with black trim. The sheets looked to be made of black silk. A very rich person's room to say the least. To say he liked it would be wrong, but neither did he hate the idea of spending time in a place as secluded as this. "Is it to your liking? I'm sure we can change anything you don't like." Takuma babbled on though Zero paid him no attention. Kain on the other hand just watched as the child stared around the room seemingly at nothing. The boy was such an oddity that Kain's attention couldn't help but hyper-focus on him. Feeling eyes on him Zero turned to stare back into auburn ones, while Kain found himself suddenly staring into lilac-amethyst orbs. They were captivating, to say the least. Takuma eventually stopped talking, though no one knew when, and watched the two stare at each other in silence. That was until he noticed the blood slowly seeping into the bandages of the boy's side and remembered that Kaname wanted to take him to the infirmary. "We should meet Kaname-sama downstairs now, he would like to get you checked out I'm sure." the blond whispered, afraid if he spoke any louder the room would shatter like glass. Zero turned to him slowly taking his eyes from Kain and stared at Takuma, the level B noble took that as an approval so he nodded and opened the door once again. This time as they walked Kain stood beside the child, though not too close, to keep a subtle eye on him.

"Welcome back, I trust everything went well upstairs?" Kaname questioned looking pointedly at Takuma. The noble smiled and nodded in reply. "Good, now come Zero, I wish to get those bandages changed before they become a problem." the pureblood advised. Zero's eyes narrowed fractionally but it went unnoticed by all except the pureblood, he composed himself quickly though and walked towards the vampire. Suggesting he was not protesting the idea, yet. Kaname gave a slight nod and walked off with the silver-haired hunter following.

"I don't like him." Aido stated as soon as the two were out of earshot. Takuma mentally sighed and frowned at the younger blond. Aido loved to jump to conclusions about others before he knew anything about them. It was something of an annoying habit to say little.

"I don't think he's that bad, though it would be nice if he said something...however I prefer the quiet ones to the loud obnoxious ones..." Rima mused while shooting a look at Aido, who huffed and glared in return.

"Even so, the child needs to show Kaname-sama some decent respect!" Ruka huffed as she turned away from the window of the moon dorms.

"Give him time, he just came from a massacre caused by a vampire, he is a human child, and he just moved houses twice in a night. He is bound to be scared and uneasy about everything going on. Once he settles I'm sure we will see more of him." Takuma reasoned with Shiki and Kain nodding. 'That is the hope anyway.' the blond added in thought. His words shut the others up for now but he knew they most likely wouldn't stay quiet for too long.

"I'm actually quite impressed, the boy is healing much faster than he should. Though we will keep the bandages on him for at least another month for those particularly stubborn injuries." the head nurse of the moon dorms infirmary noted with a slight nod to Kaname as she re-wrapped fresh bandages on the silverette's torso and arms. Zero himself was asleep as he was put under anesthetics as soon as the nurse could get close enough to administer it. Kaname had told her the boy apparently wasn't fond of physical contact but even the pureblood himself was surprised that the child flinched and moved away every time he was touched no matter how light it was.

"You said the boy is small for his age did you not? Healthwise compared to a normal eight year old how is he?" the pureblood questioned as he cast a side glance to the sleeping boy on the bed.

"Yes he is smaller in frame but I do not believe that will last. He is very healthy in all respects otherwise. However, Kaname-sama, this boy is going to need quite a bit of attention from you and the others. I fear that Zero's mental health is not a fraction of his physical health. If you ever want to hear the boy speak or do more than isolate himself he cannot be left ignored. It will also help with his fear of physical contact I am sure. Placing a noble or two, no more than three I'd say, near him would be wise until he grows more comfortable around our kind." she replied in a serious tone. She would not order anything from the pureblood but he trusted her words for a reason and she herself wanted to see the boy a bit more open than Rido's coffin.

"Judging by what I've seen of the boy, he is not very open to the idea of company." Kaname pointed out.

"You're the pureblood prince of the vampire community Kaname-sama, I'm sure you can figure something out for the child and yourself. You have the nobles to help you as well, I know for certain at least one of them would be delighted to help with Zero-kun." Akio replied with a smirk. Kaname nodded and remained silent, despite her seemingly rude attitude at times Kaname respected her and took what advice she gave him in full. If the boy needed help then he would arrange something.

"When do you think he will wake up?" Kaname questioned aloud just as Zero's eyes fluttered and opened up into the dim lights of the infirmary.

"Welcome back, you're free to leave whenever you feel ready to stand and can walk out well enough." Akio smiled at him to which Zero gave her a ghost of a nod and sat up slowly. Kaname watched as the child stood from the bed and looked at him as though waiting for something to happen.

"Shall we go back to the main room with the others?" the pureblood eventually asked, trying to soften his tone and eyes a little more. This was a child after all, not one of his nobles, he didn't need to order the boy anywhere. Once again Zero slightly nodded and followed the vampire as he walked the halls back to the common room.

"Welcome back Kaname-sama." the moon dorms chorused as soon as they walked in, Zero automatically shied away from the pureblood, as he was the center of attention; which caught Shiki's eye and made him wonder.

'He doesn't like attention, he will not like class change over if that is what scares him.' the ash brown-haired noble thought in sympathy. He personally could relate to not enjoying the attention he got sometimes. Once the nobles got back to their previous conversations and activities Zero seemed to relax a little, though Shiki could tell he was still very on edge. Taking a look to the side he found out why, Aido was glaring at him ruthlessly. Zero didn't move an inch from where he stood against the wall, but it was clear to Shiki that the kid wished to be anywhere else. Subtly Shiki got Takuma's attention and motioned to the clearly uncomfortable boy on the wall, though he said nothing about it and simply stared out the window off to the side.

"Kaname-sama, I believe dinner will be ready soon, should we head to the dining room?" Takuma started in order to change the atmosphere in the room enough to where Zero wasn't the main focus for a moment. The child himself wasn't blind to the noble's actions and gave him a small look of gratitude. He had manners after all.

"Yes Takuma I believe that would be a good idea, if everyone will get ready and meet in the dining hall, we will be having dinner." Kaname replied before he excused himself to wash up before the meal. The nobles followed after Kaname's lead, starting with Ruka and Rima, followed by Kain and (thankfully) Aido as well. The only two nobles that remained in the common room were Takuma and Senri. Zero continued to gaze at the two vampires before him, they were complete opposites and yet they complimented each other very well; something Zero remembered people would say about him and his brother when they were around normal human families.

'Opposites can bring out the life in each other, the vibrancy.' he thought without lifting his gaze from either vampire.

"You don't like a lot of attention, do you?" Takuma eventually broke the silence, a far more serious side of him showing at last. Though it was not cold or harsh, it was...concerned more than anything Zero decided. Giving the blond a slight shake of his head was all it took for him to suddenly be within arm's length of the older boy. "That's alright, unfortunately the night class gets a lot of it around here and you'll see why, but if you ever need it we can protect you. I'm aware it's a lot to ask of you to trust random vampires after all you've been through but I hope we can come to some sort of common ground." the noble knelt down to where he was looking at Zero, allowing the young boy to see the honesty, the sincerity in his eyes even if it wouldn't do much in the beginning. It was a start. And, to his immense surprise, Zero nodded again a little more confident this time.

'Happy people are fake, they're masked, but this one has something different too, something else.' he decided, justifying the action that would begin to form a thin connection between him and the happy blonde. Zero also assumed that if he had a connection with Takuma the noble's other half, the quiet one, would also be in his small social circle. 'As will Kain Akatsuki.' he didn't know about the orange-haired girl, or the Shadow vampire that seemed to be attached to Kaname's heels, maybe they would be alright to keep at a distance. The two angry ones however, Zero would stay far away from them as much as he could. He knew when he wasn't liked, neither vampires nor hunters had been subtle when it came to that, and angry vampires were not something he wanted in his vicinity again so soon. Sane nobles or not.

As the group sat down at their usual table amongst the many fine-dining arrangements, Kaname noticed Zero was sitting between Takuma and Shiki with Kain on the other side of the male model acting as a buffer between the boy and his cousin. 'I may not even need to tell the nobles to step in. It seems the connections are already being made.' the brunette was almost surprised but he knew Takuma would have taken a protective role toward the child no matter what he was told. His vice president could be quite the miracle worker when he needed it. Shiki and Kain were a bit more surprising, Kaname had no clue what transpired while the trio was upstairs but Kain came back looking almost enchanted by the small silverette. Not an emotion Kaname would coin to him by any means. 'Zero too may be something of a charmer once he becomes comfortable.' he almost sighed at the inevitable amount of fans Zero would gain simply by existing.

"Kaname-sama, will the hunter boy be joining us in class?" Ruka questioned, she had her own ideas of where the boy should be but it was Kaname's final say that mattered.

"That will depend, I will need Cross' input before I make a final decision." he answered, not missing how Zero carried on eating, not caring that he wasn't involved in a conversation that could make his life easier or much harder at the academy. 'Does he not care that he's being talked about as though he isn't here? Or that Ruka won't even grace him with a name?' wine eyes narrowed just a fraction at the thought. Wasn't this boy supposed to have some dignity? Some pride in his name. He _was_ a Kiryuu after all.

'I wonder, was she wronged by my family before? Or does she hate me simply because I am a hunter.' Zero wondered though he kept eating with the nobles beside him, there was no need to step in and argue with such an explosive vampire at the dinner table even with protection. He was a hunter in a hive of vampires, he didn't expect to get more respect here than he would if he lived in the association. It wasn't as though he didn't care, if it were another hunter he would have called them out for disrespecting his family name in his presence. But this was different and Zero was still very unsure of what would be happening to him as he lived at the academy.

'Zero-kun, I wonder what all is going through his mind...' Kain thought as he subtly watched the child while trying to ignore his cousin's obnoxiously loud and angry eating beside him.


	2. Turmoil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night class is still getting used to the idea of their new classmate, some more willingly than others to recognize him as one of their own, when some comments go too far Zero has some unexpected defenders. Maybe he can find some comfort in the moon dorms? But, his inner turmoil is never too late in reminding him why he's at the academy to begin with. When it becomes too much for a moment in time, will he have the support he ultimately needs?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I've updated stuff a lot on this account lately, with the ending of Silver Wings, the first chapter of this fic, and then another segment in my e-notebook but I have a lot of different things in my brain lately and I feel like I just need to get them out in the world in some form or another. So here I am again, hopefully your notifications haven't been going off too terribly and you're not annoyed with me yet, with the second chapter of My Name, Is Zero. I wanted to post it now instead of waiting since I felt like I didn't really go into enough detail about Zero's emotional state in the first chapter. There were some subtle hints here and there but this chapter is a little more blatant. I don't think this needs a trigger warning, there are some very vague details that aren't talked about in-depth, rather snippets of memory but if it ends up needing a warning I will come back and edit. Also, to address a guest question, I have not decided on any pairings yet, I have some ideas of who could be paired but nothing is concrete, just like in the last two fics if you have suggestions or want to see one more than another feel free to let me know! I do take everyone's opinions and requests into consideration. Please enjoy chapter two! ~Len

"He's interesting isn't he?" Takuma mused as the group walked to class the following evening amidst the crowd of screaming day class girls, Cross had suggested they allow for the child to stay behind for the first week or two simply to get accustomed to the noise of the day class without having to face them in person. He had somewhat explained that the Kiryuu family never enjoyed standing out and were naturally reserved in nature, they tended to avoid large groups and were rarely seen in the association. It was likely the boy had very little interaction with anyone outside his immediate family and never stepped into a room filled with more than four people at once. Going from that to seven vampires was asking a lot, the day class would be too much on top for now.

"Interesting nothing, he's a bratty kid that's socially inept." Aido rolled his eyes before becoming occupied with a few of his fans on the sidelines. Much to the irritation of the disciplinary committee that tried to keep the girls in order.

"He's _eight_ Aido, and he got here yesterday, I'll be surprised if any first impressions we have end up being correct once he opens up." Kain pointed out, he was positive there was more to the boy once he stared into those complex eyes. He might be quiet but he surely wasn't stupid or underdeveloped in any sense.

"You're assuming he'll open up in the first place, which is dumb of you, it's going to be like living with a cockroach of a human walking around." Ruka snipped from Kain's other side, Takuma mentally sighed to himself for even bringing up the topic with those two in the vicinity.

"I think he will, we just don't know how long it'll take...reserve your judgment until then." Shiki spoke quietly but there was a hard undertone that told the other two to shut up. Both Takuma and Rima looked at him with surprised expressions, Shiki wasn't one to interact with others unless it was ordered or unavoidable. Nor was he one to take interest in any living form around him and avoided all forms of conflict if he could so it was curious that he seemed to jump to a child's defense so early on. Regardless, he was successful in keeping Aido and Ruka quiet for the remainder of their walk and all through class, something the others greatly appreciated.

Zero had never heard so much screaming in his life, how the hell could humans be so damn _loud_ at such an odd hour. He had woken to the noise long before he felt the majority of the vampires begin to get themselves ready for class. Meaning this was something they were used to and, therefore, a daily phenomenon. 'How annoying.' like most hunters he viewed regular humans as very weak and oblivious creatures, unlike most hunters however he had no interest in befriending or being involved with them in any form. Most of the hunters he had seen had a sort of infatuation with humans, they envied their full humanity and ignorance of the vampire race. Craved the normality that was offered in such a blind lifestyle. Zero didn't understand why you'd want to make yourself such a stupid target, humans adored vampires for their beauty and their unearthly grace or talents. But that was because they didn't understand just how unearthly the creatures were, nor did they understand the flip side of that coin. No, Zero would never crave that ignorance or understand the infatuation which made it difficult to relate to hunters and humans alike. Both were obsessed with a species they didn't understand. Vampires weren't special to him, they were supposed to be the most attractive creatures to walk around but he didn't understand that either, possibly because he was eight, but more likely because he wasn't raised to look at physical appearance. He was raised to understand everything _behind_ what appeared in his ocular vision, may it be hunter, vampire, or human. 'If you don't it gets you killed.' he inwardly grimaced, he had made that mistake already twice and he wasn't about to do it again. A knock came from his door pulling him out of his darker memories, he wasn't sure if he should open it or not so he waited until whoever was on the other side decided for him.

"Zero-kun, we're going to head to class now, we usually get back around two-fifty, if you need anything you're welcome to come to the classroom but we were told you'd likely prefer to stay behind for at least a couple weeks. And I'm sorry if the day class woke you up, they're like this every morning I'm afraid but they won't be there for long so you can get back to sleep once we're in class. They won't stay out much longer after that." the familiar voice of Takuma reached his ears as he continued to stare at the door. The vampire didn't enter, nor did he ask if Zero understood, they were silent before Takuma eventually walked away bidding him a cheery goodbye. Truly of all the vampires he was around the tall emerald-eyed blond was the most confusing. He wasn't sure why he had suddenly taken to him, but Zero wasn't going to complain about hearing a kind voice speak to him regardless if he answered or not. It was much better than listening to his own voice in his head sometimes. He watched out the window as the screaming got louder, the vampires had lined up in status order to walk to class, there were two humans trying to control the crowd of people but it didn't look to be working very well. It was amusing watching them flail around keeping people from reaching out to touch or grab any of the vampires walking by, it also looked like the shorter blond encouraged the behavior by waving or walking up to the girls directly. Rolling his eyes at the charmer's antics Zero turned back to his room, ignoring the noise as best he could. Aside from a few maids and the occasional butler the dorms were empty, meaning he had about seven hours to venture and keep busy. Putting on some clothes and washing up he opened his door carefully, eyes darting down both ends of the hall, he set out to learn about this so-called dorm building.

Usually, if he were left at home, he would go outside and practice hunting techniques or clean so his parents didn't have to do so much when they got home. But that wasn't an option here, so he decided to find the essentials such as the common room, the kitchen, and the library. They had to have one, the building was huge and they were vampires, they were privileged in ways humans would never be. He knew he wouldn't be bothered by anyone since he was a resident under Cross' protection and he wasn't about to begin an interaction with anyone left wandering around so he felt comfortable enough opening doors and walking the halls until he found the places he was looking for. The common room was nice, they even had an outdoor patio and garden that led into the forest off-campus outside that he could see through a glass sliding door off to one side. Every couch was white and made of expensive fabrics, each chair was equipped with a glass side table, and a mahogany coffee table graced the center of the room. Nothing about the place seemed common or lived in at all, hell nothing looked like it had ever been _touched_ in the first place. 'Everything here is beautiful but stiff.' the little hunter thought to himself as he continued to walk around. It took a while but he eventually found the library, as he expected it was also a spectacle to behold. He could get lost in the piles of books there for hours no doubt. A small smile appeared over his lips as he walked between the towering wooden shelves, memorizing the sections as he went, finding a small open corner where there was a single bench beneath a small window that looked out into part of the garden he picked out several books and made himself comfortable. Eventually, he lost track of time, immersed deeply in his books. He didn't notice himself becoming tired or falling asleep under the window caressed by the soft moonlight that entered.

"Do you think he destroyed the moon dorms while we've been gone? I bet he started with Ruka's room." Aido teased as the night class began their journey back to their dorms. It didn't take long for the subject of the newest resident to come up again while they walked. Kaname had to admit he was concerned about what they boy may be able to get into in the long hours they were gone, it was unlikely he would do anything to the caliber that Aido envisioned but he wasn't sure what the child was thinking so for all he knew it was best to assume the worst until they got a real reading of the boy.

"If he touched _anything_ of mine with those grubby little hands I will personally punish him. Anyone sensible would do the same if they want to set their boundaries, permanently." Ruka, already seething for no reason, almost growled out. Effectively erasing her pristine image and giving way to a far more sinister side of her personality. "If he ruined anything of _yours_ however I might give him a reward." she added on causing Aido's eyes to flash a bright red. Before he could speak again however, Kaname, having heard more than enough, cut them off.

"Enough. Remember he is under Cross' jurisdiction, not ours. If something goes wrong in our arrangements it will be brought to his attention before _anything_ is done. Is that clear?" even though it was asked the nobles were not dumb enough to assume it was a question. They knew an order when they heard one. With a mental sigh the pureblood opened their door and took in the scene around him briefly before walking inside. Everything was just as immaculate as they left it in his eyes, it was possible the boy hadn't even left his room. As soon as the group got inside both Aido and Ruka rushed off to their rooms to inspect them, much to Takuma's annoyance, as the rest of them fell into their normal after class routines.

"Do you think he's even up? I mean for a normal human it's no time to be awake right now." Rima eventually spoke up once the other two had returned to the common room seeming to have calmed down from their earlier suspicions.

"I assumed he was on a night schedule already considering he's a hunter but it could be that he still needs to transition. It's too early to tell what kind of schedule he's on. We also don't know his education level, Kaien-san mentioned his dislike for crowds but didn't actually say if he needs tutoring." Takuma thought out loud ignoring the disinterested snort coming from their resident genius.

"As far as I am aware, most children get their core education at the association due to their parents rarely being around. However Cross-san mentioned that the Kiryuu family was rarely even seen even in the association so it's likely he had private lessons. We probably won't know his level of understanding until he starts talking." Kain pointed out with a shrug, he doubted the boy was uneducated, the family was very well off from what he knew even compared to most nobles.

"Is everything with this boy going to end up a waiting game until he talks? What if he never does? We just deal with a ghost of a figure walking around us all the time? That's tedious." Ruka huffed, though she had no intention of being kind to the hunter she did understand it was even more annoying to have to play a guessing game every time he came up in subject. It was going to be very tiring for all of them, especially Kaname, if the behavior continued.

"We can't force him to speak, let's give ourselves time to at least become aware of his routines first as well. Child or not he still has a personality and it would be inconsiderate of us to ignore it while expecting him to open up to a bunch of strangers." Rima suggested quietly, she understood that vampires came first in their minds, but this was a human kid that didn't trust them. They were going to have to allow a relationship to form instead of force one to exist if they wanted to get anywhere. Takuma hummed in agreement with a soft smile as he stood and ventured out of the common room, a new goal set in his mind, he was going to find out something that the boy liked. No matter how minimal he communicated he still had likes and dislikes, they knew a couple of dislikes but nothing that he enjoyed. The noble wanted to change that and to prove to Ruka and Aido there were other ways to go about interacting with him over glares and rules. Walking up to the young hunter's door he knocked and waited for any sign of movement from the other side to signal he was being listened to. When nothing came he knocked again before speaking.

"Zero-kun, are you awake?" he asked though it was soft in case he had woken the other. Once again nothing was heard from inside the room prompting the noble to push the door open just enough to see inside. Everything was clean, placed precisely where Zero had put it upon moving in only the boy wasn't there and from the stale scent, Takuma assumed he hadn't been in the space for quite some time. So where was he? Puzzled, the blond closed the door again and went to find someone that may have seen him while they were in class. The moon dorms were large and he may have gotten lost somewhere even with his heightened senses.

"Where would he go do you think?" Kain questioned once Takuma returned, having found none of the staff to be helpful in his search, and explained the situation to the rest of the vampires.

"Who knows, we would have noticed if he went outside, and even if he did I doubt he would venture very far right now. He's still recovering after all and I assume he isn't anywhere close to his full stamina." Ruka pointed out, she didn't _want_ to help find the boy but it would have caused Kaname more trouble if they didn't. She wouldn't say it out loud but the brief image of the boy being ripped to shreds by level E's crossed her mind and made her breath catch for a second. As heartless as she could be, no one deserved that kind of death.

"Split up and search the dorms, the sooner we find him the better." Kaname ordered, he hoped the child wasn't reckless enough to attempt to run away. The nobles quickly followed his orders and took to searching different parts of the dorm, every room from top to bottom would be searched.

Kain eventually came to the library doors, having searched the rest of the floor already, though he didn't know what eight-year-old would hide out in the library it was possible the boy was there he supposed. Pushing open the large mahogany door with ease he began roaming the giant room, they didn't typically use the library, seeing as all the meetings took place in Kaname's office and there was no real need to study like normal students. It was vacant most of the time, Takuma and Kaname were likely the only two that found the old place to be comfortable enough to spend time there. Kain didn't dislike literature but often found himself either too busy watching over Aido or unable to find something that suited his tastes. He was about to give up and leave when a glow of light caught in his peripheral vision, turning he saw the silver-haired boy asleep on a small couch he didn't even know was there. A pile of books rested on the glass side table and a book was tucked securely under his arm as he slept. It was such an innocent sight the noble wasn't sure if he should approach him or not, deciding it would be better if he did it for fear the next one to walk in would be his cousin or Ruka, he almost held his breath as he quietly walked over. Ethereal was the first word that came to mind once he got close enough, moonlight highlighted Zero's snow complexion and made his hair glint when he exhaled. Glancing over at the stack of books a few familiar titles caught the vampire's attention, older and far more complicated reads than any normal child would gravitate to. A mix of history, art, and fantasy seemed to be what he gravitated toward, Kain made a mental note of the new knowledge before placing a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. Lilac-amethyst eyes slowly opened, hazy with sleep, but it was only a moment before he registered where he was and who was standing in front of him. Knowing it wasn't likely Zero would speak Kain took it upon himself to start. "We became worried when we couldn't find you, the staff didn't see you leave your room. You're welcome to stay here if you'd like, but I do need to tell the others. I don't know how much pain you're in but I assume it takes a lot of energy to get from your room to here. Are you alright?" amber eyes wandered across the boy's body, the bandages hadn't seemed to have bled through again which was a good sign but it didn't mean he wasn't in pain.

'What would he do if I told him no? Would he take me back to the pureblood? The infirmary?' Zero asked himself but it was hard to analyze the situation with how tired he was. Yes he was in pain, immense pain, he wanted to cry to his mother and have her make it better. He wanted it to stop and to feel okay again, like none of this happened. But he couldn't and the stitches were an aggressive reminder of the current reality, his parents would never be able to comfort him again, they would never hold his hand or read to him. His brother would never cling onto his back or roll into his chest subconsciously as they slept together in his bed. There were a lot of things he would never again have. The far more cynical thoughts clouding his mind, he forgot the noble was there as he curled up around the book he had found. It was one his mother used to read to him when he was first starting. It was advanced for a three-year-old but that's just how his family worked and he didn't mind that he only understood portions of what she said. Hearing her voice in its melodic glory was all he really cared about, his mother was rarely stern with him and his brother but he often overheard his parents in meetings and it was clear why his family had a reputation for being curt and cold towards others. On the offhand that they were scolded it sent chills up his spine and often had him reprimanding himself for weeks following the event, he never wished to upset his parents. He loved when they smiled, taking pictures together during the holidays or their prideful looks when the boys would show them perfect test scores from the tutors. Now his memories gave way to his mother's screams more often than not, panic resonating in his father's voice as he told him to run, Ichiru crying out that he didn't know where to go before all he could hear were his own footsteps thudding across whatever terrain was under them. His body had long gone numb to physical pain then but now he constantly felt every scratch, every cut, and every mark that had been made until he had somehow come into Cross Kaien's home. He still wasn't sure how exactly he got there.

"Zero-kun...Zero...you're safe now...Zero...can you look at me please...Zero?" a voice interrupted his memories, the library slowly coming back into focus he recognized Kain, who had moved to sit beside him, but he had now been joined by Takuma and Shiki. Another moment passed before he realized he was practically hyperventilating and his body was shaking with panic. "That's better, just breathe okay?" he couldn't tell who was talking to him but tried to take their advice as best he could, he felt lightheaded and everything ached as he finally calmed. Reaching out a bit he searched for some sort of physical connection, he needed something solid, something that would ground him again. A gentile weight was laid across him, it was soft and smelled vaguely of pocky and an unfamiliar cologne. Relaxing into whatever it was he let his eyes close and slipped back into a more peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cut off a little early here to make sure this wasn't a super long chapter but I think ending it here makes sense. I look forward to hearing back and seeing you all on the next one! Of course, thank you to everyone that has read this so quickly to it being posted. My appreciation is infinite. I might take a break after this post to work on something else until this one comes back to the forefront of my mind so if you keep an eye on my page or follow me as an author you might see a notification for shorter fics, one-shots, or fics of other fandoms until we're in October. I'm not dropping off this one, I just need to focus on some other raging plot lines in my head to clear them out. As always, have a wonderful evening/day or whatever time slot you're in, and remember to keep writing, keep reading, and live creative. Until next time! ~Len


	3. Safety Net

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coming off Zero's episode in the library, we pick back up with Takuma, Shiki, and Kain deciding on what to do for the next couple weeks following the event. Relationships begin to form between the four, carefully and slowly easing the silverette into the routine of the moon dorms creating a safe space for him when it was needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I was going to be taking a short break for the rest of the month in order to flush my brain of some other ideas I had but this one came back into focus once more so here we are with chapter 3! No warnings just feels for this part, I've read comments and suggestions on ffnet about pairings, and I have to say there seems to be a gravitational pull toward this being a NightClassBoysxZero or Kaname/Zero/Kaname's inner circle. Will that be the end result? Who knows. But that is a ways in the future, right now we're at chapter three with little Zero just coming off his panic attack. Enjoy! ~Len

Takuma sighed in relief as he finally sat back from the couch, he never thought that the weighted blanket he bought would be useful but he was grateful they had it now. Never in his life had he saw someone go through whatever it was that Zero had and he doubted the image of those eyes so dark and unfocused but obviously panic-stricken as the boy shook like a leaf would be leaving his mind anytime soon. It wasn't surprising the child had fallen unconscious again, Takuma himself felt suddenly drained and he didn't even do anything. "What now?" Shiki was the first to break the silence, the two of them had been called in when Kain couldn't get Zero to respond. He was tempted to get Kaname when they first arrived but things started to spiral so quickly they didn't have time.

"It's getting late and I don't want to leave him alone all night, it might be premature judgment but based on what we just saw I think someone should stay with him for a while. We don't know what it would have led to if he were here alone." Takuma sighed as he noted the light streaming in through the window.

"We can take turns, that way he'll know he can come to any of us when needed..." Shiki agreed with Kain nodding before the trio once again fell into silence, it would be difficult for any of them to sleep tonight regardless but knowing one of them would be there helped ease their minds a bit.

"I'll stay first, in his room." the fire-wielding noble offered as they eventually began to move again, Takuma closed the curtains while Shiki cleaned up the books and Kain carefully picked up the sleeping hunter in the blanket before they all headed out of the library. Not wanting to remove the blanket from the small boy's grasp Kain laid him in the bed with the comforter pulled back so he wouldn't overheat in the night before he set to make himself comfortable. Briefly heading to his own shared room he was glad to see his cousin asleep already, he didn't need the headache of trying to explain what was going on. Aido wasn't going to listen so he'd rather not try. Quickly brushing his teeth and changing clothes he gathered his uniform for the morning and headed back to Zero. He couldn't help but feel protective when it came to the silverette, especially after seeing a glimpse of the real turmoil he hid so well when addressing the night class normally. As he watched Zero breath he felt his own body begin to succumb to exhaustion, he had been holding his breath nearly the entire time he carried the hunter to make sure he didn't stop breathing on the journey. Gently lying down he was careful not to move the child before he too fell asleep listening to the boy's rhythmic heartbeat.

A gentle tap on his wrist woke Kain with a start, glancing around quickly his eyes landed on the hunter sitting up in the blanket beside him. Zero looked at him without much emotion, but there was a small flicker that passed through his eyes as though he was apologizing. "Konbanwa." the whisper was so soft the noble wasn't sure he even heard it at first.

"Konbanwa, Zero-kun." Kain replied after a few seconds, reaching out and gently ruffling the boy's hair before he sat up to get ready for class. "Are you hungry? Takuma and Kaname-sama might be up but the others will take a while longer." he questioned giving the silverette a quick once-over after dressing and reappearing from the bathroom, the boy was small for being eight years old. Even if Kaname said he was healthy it didn't look like he was made of much. A subtle shrug was all the vampire got as an answer but it wasn't a no. "Let's go downstairs and get you some snacks for the evening at least." Zero didn't reply but moved slowly out of bed to follow the vampire out of his room and downstairs to the kitchen. Kain noted on the way that Zero was very careful not to touch or brush against any objects in the hall. 'Exceedingly aware of his surroundings.' the noble thought to himself as the two rounded the corner and saw Takuma idly reading as the cook was preparing breakfast, as soon as he sensed the hunter however he put his book down and gave them a smile.

"Good evening you two! Come for some breakfast before the kitchen gets swarmed?" he asked cheerfully, though he wasn't expecting a direct response.

"Something like that, I figured we could set him up with something to eat before we head to class." came the casual reply.

"That's a wonderful idea, I also pulled some books from the library based on what you seem to like to read. I hope they're suitable enough to keep you occupied but of course you don't have to read them. What would you like to eat?" the blond rambled for a moment before handing the hunter what he assumed to be a breakfast menu. It seemed the vampires either didn't know how or preferred not to make anything themselves, if it was another hunter family Zero was with he would consider them to be very spoiled and dependent, but vampires grew up differently than hunters. Especially nobles. He would need to get used to their ways if he wanted to avoid too much trouble, regardless that it went against everything he had come to know in his short life. The menu was extensive, everything from appetizers to full meals, even a wine selection at the bottom. Nothing seemed to have even a hint of simplicity, normal he supposed for a five-star restaurant but definitely not for an everyday breakfast. He didn't wish to keep the vampires waiting however and tried his best to quickly choose a small appetizer platter of various meats and cheeses with what he assumed was a fancy bread or crackers. He preferred salts and spices to sweet foods, never developing the sweet tooth his twin or father had while growing up to which his mother seemed to be thankful for. "Good choice, I'm sure it's a little strange compared to what you're used to but the food here is always very good so please don't be afraid to eat whatever you'd like." Takuma smiled again, Kain hummed his agreement and ruffled the boy's hair, a gesture he assumed Zero liked since he hadn't had a negative reaction to it yet. It may have been his imagination but it almost seemed like the silverette leaned into it a little more than last time.

It didn't take long for the screaming to start up, only getting louder as it neared the time for the vampires to get to class. After finishing his food and taking a quick trip upstairs to retrieve the blanket Zero was accompanied to the library and set up with books Takuma had picked out earlier in the morning. Shiki joined him in the library while Kain dealt with new drama that had transpired between Ruka and Aido, the calm and quiet nature of the cyan-eyed noble was appreciated by the hunter and he found himself scooting a little closer than necessary when the screaming got particularly loud in the other room. "They are loud when they argue, but they won't hurt you even if they're angry...they're like toddlers trying to win Kaname-sama's attention." Shiki mumbled as it quieted down a little. It was helpful to have the older noble with him, the two angry ones he didn't like being around much. Glowing eyes and elongated fangs were an image burned into his mind that haunted him more often than not. He had learned to keep himself silent when he had nightmares but it was difficult to see any other face than that of Hio Shizuka when someone was angry. The other nobles being around helped take the edge off the fear that sparked and reminded him that he wasn't under attack anymore. He wasn't sure what he was to the vampires yet, they still didn't seem inclined to kill him and he hadn't been treated like a pet as many orphaned humans and hunters were by vampires that ended up taking them in. Maybe they were waiting for something, he wasn't sure but he didn't want to ask. He would take whatever was decided in stride as best he could when the time came but for now, he would rest against the noble and ignore the possibilities of the future.

"Zero-kun, it's time to go to the infirmary to get your stitches looked at okay? I don't think it'll take very long but Akio-san needs to make sure everything is healing alright." Takuma woke him up quietly, it had been a little over two weeks since Zero's arrival and he had become a little more comfortable in the moon dorms. Takuma would wake him up usually, Shiki would stay with him until they left for class and Kain would keep him company after they returned while Takuma dealt with Council business and Shiki was at photoshoots with Rima. The three of them still took turns staying with him at night, every now and then he would be woken from nightmares or brought out of panic episodes by one of them but his head was so fuzzy he rarely remembered who. It was the weekend now, two days he learned to both enjoy and dread. He got to spend more time and bond with the nobles he liked but of course, Aido and Ruka were never too far away either making it sometimes difficult to want to leave his room. He didn't complain but it was hard living with vampires that hated you. Looking over to the side where the emerald-eyed noble stood he gave him a blank stare that was returned with a smile. "I promise it won't be too bad, I'll be there the whole time. Besides, if you're cleared today you can start coming with us out of the dorms, that will be nice, won't it? I know Shiki and Rima are eager to take you shopping for some new clothes." he hummed while picking out a fresh pair of clothes that were easy to change in and out of. Zero never made any outward indication of being in physical pain but Takuma could see the subtle flinching when he moved too quickly and the fatigue that set in slowly through the day. It still surprised him how much Zero was able to accomplish daily but he supposed it was a trait he gained out of necessity considering his family line.

'I wonder if I'll need to wear a uniform...I can't imagine Cross being that prepared but if I'm supposed to be with the night class...' the silverette wondered as he followed Takuma down the halls and into the infirmary where both Kaname and Akio were waiting for them. Zero still felt uneasy around the pureblood, they didn't interact much after the first day or two of Zero getting settled but he could always feel the pureblood watching him when they were in the same room. Like he was some sort of animal to be studied, there wasn't anything particularly cold about him but certainly nothing that was inviting or warm like Takuma was. He tried not to attract much of the alpha vampire's attention whenever possible.

"Good evening, Takuma-san, Zero-kun, hoping for a good report today I assume." Akio gave him a gentle smile as he carefully climbed onto the table in her room. Takuma stood by as she helped him out of his shirt and looked over each healing wound and the surrounding areas to make sure nothing had been infected or torn. Zero did his best to focus on the blond noble near him as the nurse gently rewrapped his arms and torso with clean bandages, giving him a kind smile when she was done. "You're healing very well, I recommend you take it easy still, no rough play or too much time outside in the cold but as far as I'm concerned you're fine to go adventure with the others. I will update Kaien-san as well, I'm sure he'd like to know how you've been progressing." she explained warmly as Zero shuffled back into his shirt and subtly nodded. He wasn't sure if he was ready to meet the world that the night class lived among, the screaming girls were still something to be desired, and there was no telling how normal vampires would act around him in public. Apparently these were only concerns to him as Takuma gave him a cheery smile and suggested they go find Rima and Shiki to share the good news. They would tell Kain later when he was done putting yet another argument to rest.

"How do you think he will fare being out in the real world again, it has only been a short time since he arrived, do you think he's ready?" Kaname asked once the Takuma and Zero were well out of earshot of the infirmary.

"He has progressed, from what I can gather most of the nobles are quite protective of him already which has clearly served him well. I'm sure he will adjust alright after a while, as long as he has those that create that safe space for him I believe he will thrive within the night class. Just an assumption of course but, Kaname-sama, you still make him nervous. He is perceptive and will continue to avoid interacting with you and your nobles any more than he does currently if he feels like you don't want him around. He is a child but I believe Zero-kun was taught as though he was much older than he is and is quite advanced as a result. But, as you know, that also means he is far more cautious and aware than any normal child his age would be." the nurse answered seriously, she adored the boy personally but could tell he noticed each and every hesitation in her moves when she worked with him and reacted negatively as a defense. The way he watched her those first few nights, as though his eyes picked up on every emotion in her body more than her words, would be burned into her mind for eternity. Never in her life had she had a patient like Zero and doubted she ever would again, it wasn't everyday vampires walked into the infirmary after all.

"I can't help but to be wary of him, he is a hunter still and one that isn't monitored by the association due to his family line. That creates issues in our communities and could potentially put us in danger in the future. We don't know what he is capable of." Kaname pointed out, he didn't hate the boy himself but there were other factors to someone like him especially considering his circumstances. There was Yuuki to think of as well, Zero could always bring potential danger to her.

"We have every reason to be wary, but I would advise you to not let _him_ see that if you ever want to see what he is capable of. I realize he is not your focus but I would gain his alliance before you become his enemy Kaname-sama. He trusts beings individually not as a group, even though he clearly has a good relationship with Takuma-san and some of the others that will mean nothing if you don't also gain his trust and form a relationship between the two of you. I would think it is a much bigger gamble to attempt that task six or seven years down the line than it is now." Akio answered calmly as she gathered her reports from her desk and finished writing a summary for the headmaster. It wasn't going to be her favorite task of the evening but she figured it was best to get it over with. The man talked about the children as though they were his own, and to an extent they were, she only wished he had a time limit to his tangents of adoration. Bowing to the pureblood once more she left the infirmary, leaving the vampire to contemplate her words. Kaname wasn't sure how to go about talking to a child like Zero, Yuuki was easy since she was always looking to please others, vampire children were adoring but didn't approach him unless it was with an adult so he never interacted with them directly. Hunter children were out of the question for obvious reasons. Zero wasn't like anyone he had experienced before though, he wasn't scared, didn't adore anyone, he didn't talk but it was clear he wasn't shy. Kaname didn't know _what_ Zero was exactly, which made it complicated. Maybe he would have better luck if he stuck around Takuma more often. His vice president knew what he was doing and it seemed to be working.

"He is not a simple child by any means, but he is still a child, he doesn't ask for it but he appreciates some physical comfort and verbal assurance just like anyone else. Truthfully it's more trial and error than anything. I don't know if I will be able to get him to talk 'normally' anytime soon but the more secure he feels the more he communicates one way or another we've noticed." the blond shrugged, Zero had been taken to his and Shiki's room once the noble returned from his photoshoot for a nap before they were to go into town with Takuma, Rima, and Kain. "If you want, you can join us in town and watch, he likes when Shiki and Kain are around." he continued while rummaging through Zero's clothes to find something suitable for an outing in the evening. It was still the cold season so they couldn't be out too long but it wouldn't be as busy in town because of it.

"If I go it is likely Ruka and Aido will tag along, it wouldn't be a wise move to put him under that much stress." Kaname pointed out flatly. Takuma made a noise of agreement but smiled nonetheless.

"Those two do make things more complicated, I hope they'll settle down eventually but I'm not sure how long that will take...what if we invited Yuuki-chan and Cross-san with us? We know Yuuki-chan adores Zero even if he's never talked to her. Aido and Ruka won't act up around those two and we'll make sure they're not in any danger." secretly he hoped the pureblood would realize it wasn't Zero that put Yuuki in danger but rather whoever was after him that could. The boy himself was not a threat, Yuuki already knew this but Kaname was a protective older brother and could be just as stubborn. To his surprise Kaname pondered the idea for a few moments and agreed, saying he would contact Cross before quickly exiting the room. "Always so eager to see her." Takuma mused heading back to his own room to explain the slight change in plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have chapter 3, the next one will take a little longer to get out (I think, don't quote me) but I promise it is a good one. Not to make your waiting even harder but I personally love how chapter 4 is coming along. On another note, I realize 'konbonwa' is a greeting for evening or late afternoon and not mornings but I figured if you're on a night schedule it makes sense. Either way, I hope you're still enjoying it, I would say this is kind of the official ending for the introduction portion of the story. We're going to get more specific, a little more drama and a lot more questions starting in the next chapter. The beginning of Kaname and Zero's more in-depth interactions will also be coming up but I did want to make the initial relationships with Zero and each night class member clearer. As usual thank you so much for reading, commenting, and sharing this journey with me; remember to keep writing, keep reading, and live creative. Until next time! ~Len


	4. Hear Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip out to the market with the night class goes from easy to unnerving for little Zero. Kaname wonders if the boy will ever talk about what happened in his home that night; Cross claims he does talk, but only to those who listen for more than just words. Using his cousin as an example, Kaname makes a risky move while out in town to test the man's theory but he isn't the only one that will get special attention from the silverette who remains oblivious to the beginning of a dangerous rivalry in favor of the voices speaking to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I've become super in love with writing this story and I didn't want to wait any longer to get out chapter 4. I know I should be regulating updates a little better but I can't help it with these guys. I will be taking a short break until we're in October (my birthday month!) in order to catch up on some other stuff and finish chapter three of a D. Gray-Man fic I just pulled from the cobwebs of my FFnet page and google drive. Other than that, as always, thank you so much for your amazing comments and all your love in the form of kudos and hits. Nothing I say about social anxiety or sensory overload is meant to offend or invalidate anyone, I write based on my own experiences as much as possible to keep it accurate but I tend to make things a little simpler to widely understand what is going on. I'll stop talking now so you can enjoy it! ~Len

“I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised at the progress he’s made under your watch Kaname-san. Again I thank you for taking him in, I’m sure it has not all been easy.” Kaien talked with the pureblood as the two watched Shiki and Takuma lead the two children in and out of various stores. Yuuki was delighted to spend time with Zero, the boy had left an impression on her she couldn't ignore. She couldn't really imagine what he had been through, she didn't understand his complex turmoil on the off chance she saw it, but she knew he was hurting and would do anything she could to befriend him overtime. Kaien had told her it wasn't wise for her to visit the moon dorms when Zero was recovering but she had pleaded with Kaname to allow her to come over at least once a week to see Zero. The vampire couldn't say no to her and agreed on the condition she would be careful and not argue when it was time for her to go home to Cross, she agreed after learning she would be accompanied by the pureblood. 

“It’s not my doing, Takuma and the others have been around him the most. He is growing more comfortable with them as times goes on, however, we still aren't able to get him to talk. Psychologically...it is a different story.” upset wouldn't be an exact match to what the pureblood felt on his tongue after that sentence. He wasn't upset with Zero, the boy hadn't done anything wrong after all and it wasn't as though he had any real control over the situation, but there was still a strange feeling of loss. Kaname wasn't satisfied with something when it came to the hunter still.

“Zero is not one to bend to anyone’s will unless he agrees it’s the best option, no Kiryuu I’ve ever met has been any different. Shiki-kun is very observant of those around him, Zero responds well to that type of enhanced perception. You may not get him to talk, Kaname-kun, but he is speaking. Just not verbally.” Kaien pointed out surprising the prince a bit at the sudden seriousness. Of course Kaien was a man of legend, for him to have no skill when it came to reading the most guarded opponents the world had ever seen would be impossible. But, then again, the man still couldn't cook an edible pot of rice. 

It was getting cold, he was starting to get tired as they continued walking from shop to shop, his head was beginning to hurt from the sheer amount of constant information coming through his senses all at once. He didn't know how people lived like this, hearing so many footsteps echoing, voices he was trying to distinguish, the noise of the general public was becoming too much. Where was he again? Looking around he could see the figures beside and in front of him, Yuuki’s mouth was moving but he couldn't  _ hear _ anything she was saying. Trying harder to focus on the younger girl his vision suddenly went out of focus, instead of Yuuki he heard breathing. Abnormal breathing. ‘Where...where is it coming from?’ he couldn't see anyone, couldn't trace where it was coming from with all the commotion going on. He needed to focus, he needed to figure out what was happening. Were they in danger or was it someone needing help? ‘Who are you?’ he asked, allowing his vision to cloud over so he could hear it more clearly. 

“Child,” it sounded like a woman’s voice, she was quiet, her breath ragged as though she was struggling. “Hear me, they’re coming.” she gasped out before her body erupted into coughs. A striking visual in Zero’s mind showed a woman, bloody, clutching onto her side as she collapsed onto some dirtied floor and disappeared. He didn't know where she was, who she was, or what he was supposed to do about it. Nothing but silence followed. He couldn't hear the breathing anymore. 

“Zero.” a stern call cut through his head, bringing him back full force to the town. The sudden commotion was so startling he shrunk back from whoever was in front of him until his back hit something far more solid. He flinched at the contact, heartbeat escalating until something warm touched his skin, slowly he took in the world around him again a single step at a time. A technique he remembered his former master going on about when something like this happened. 

Hazy lilac-amethyst eyes opened into Kaname’s own, looking at him for the first time in what felt like nearly an hour even though it had likely only been fifteen or twenty minutes. He hadn't a clue what had happened, in the middle of a one-sided conversation with Yuuki the boy had become far more visually distraught than the vampires had witnessed. It hadn't been like the panic the others witnessed before, there was no indication of pain or fear, it was as though he became completely unaware of his surroundings which was an oddity compared to his normally careful ways. The next thing they knew he had walked out the back door of a small shop and tucked himself in a corner between the store and a stone wall. Shiki had found him first, eyes closed and hands covering his ears, and called the others over. Neither Cross nor Takuma could get him to respond, in the meantime Yuuki began to worry, clinging onto Kaname’s shirt until Cross turned and picked her up. Kaname watched for a moment, eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled a familiar scene. A man he often saw next door to his family’s home when he was a child, he never went outside and Kaname didn't understand why until his father explained that some vampires experienced something called extreme social anxiety that could be triggered by being in large unfamiliar crowds.  _ “When they go out in public sometimes it can cause them to become too overwhelmed and they aren't able to focus or function like the rest of us. It drains them of energy very quickly, they don't know where they are, or who they’re with until they get somewhere more secluded and quiet.”  _ his father had told him. Kaname didn't really understand at the time, vampires usually didn't have such issues, but he respected what Haruka said and would wave to the man but he made sure never to get too close to the property lines. Zero was a child, one that didn't have the ability to show if he was overwhelmed and likely didn't know what sensory overload even was. Moving forward past his nobles, Kaname put his hands over Zero’s own, calling his name firmly to give the boy something to focus on and bring him back. To say he was surprised when it worked wouldn't be an understatement. Zero pulled back, eyes flashing with unfamiliar emotions before hitting the wall when Kaname’s face came into view. The pureblood was quick to cover his ears again when he heard the boy’s breath hitch quietly until he had calmed. The fatigue in his eyes when they reopened was the only indication anything had even happened. “Takuma, he’s cold.” Kaname spoke quietly, stepping back only when he was sure Zero was stable enough to be surrounded again by the noise of the night. 

“Mmm Akio-san will murder me if I let you freeze the first night out. Let’s get you home, okay?” the blond smiled, quickly stepping in and covering the small silverette in a newly bought warm fleece-lined tan winter coat. Gaze flickering back to the alpha vampire, Kaname felt the apology more than he saw it. A subtle nod in return allowed the boy to comfortably focus back on Takuma as they started their walk home. Yuuki had long fallen asleep but Cross said he would make sure she knew everyone was fine when she woke up. Zero didn't reply, as expected, but the man figured it was likely appreciated and Takuma thanked him just in case. The walk from Cross’ home to the moon dorms was short and quiet, Zero was busy trying not to fall asleep on his feet while the night class silently contemplated the evening’s events. Upon entering the familiar dorm house Kain headed to make tea in the kitchen for the group while Takuma helped Zero out of his coat at the door, Kaname noticed that Shiki too would place a hand on the boy’s head or shoulder to steady him if he thought he would fall. As Cross said, his cousin was observant, and Zero did respond positively to the contact. Going so far as to lean against the noble’s chest when Takuma was helping him with his shoes. He was tired and the warmth offered was too great for him to pass up. The pureblood couldn't help the spark of jealousy that ran through him when he saw the silverette lean into the noble, nor could he fully hide the shock on his face when his cousin decided it was time to take the connection he had with Zero to another level. 

“May I carry you?” Shiki’s voice was calm in its monotone, he may seem apathetic but there was a tone of what Zero could almost consider pleading when he asked. Like he was scared of Zero’s rejection. The notion was ridiculous seeing as he was a noble and Zero was an eight-year-old hunter that was giving them more problems than necessary. But, looking into Shiki’s eyes, he felt like he was looking at his mother. The feelings he got from them were the same as when he was four or five, his mother asked if she could hold him as they waited to hear back from his brother’s doctor. She was nervous, and never asked him for things unless she needed it. Shiki was similar, he only asked if he felt he needed to. Why Shiki needed him he wasn't sure, but just as with his mother on that hard, grey, hospital chair he couldn't bring himself to refuse. A small hesitant nod was all he needed to give before he was lifted into the noble’s arms. Shiki was careful not to brush against his stitches or scratches, guiding Zero’s head to rest comfortably on his shoulder. The warmth radiating off the vampire wasn't expected, but he quickly grew aware of how cold he had been in comparison. Was Shiki worried about him? Is that why he wanted to carry him? Unasked questions went unanswered but Zero found he didn't care, allowing himself to be lulled with rhythmic footsteps, his eyes closed missing the jealous burn flaring in a few pairs of eyes behind them. 

He couldn't help himself, outside of looks alone there was so much about the young hunter that could hold Shiki’s attention for hours on end. More than once he had been caught daydreaming at his shoots, not that it mattered much, the noble was arguably delivering his best work. He didn't know if Zero would ever see them or enjoy them like he dreamed but the thought of those eyes lighting up at Shiki’s pictures was enough to make him want to work harder than he ever had. After he had brought Zero back to his room the two sat together, enjoying a comfortable silence as the noble brushed out Zero’s silk-like hair. He could feel the boy lean into his touch and dared to wrap an arm around the small torso gently coaxing him backward into his lap where the boy would say, sometimes if he wasn't wanting to sleep Shiki would let him read or lay on his chest until his eyes closed involuntarily. He never woke as he was tucked into bed nor did he notice when the noble joined him to sleep for the day, the only indication given that he knew the noble was there was when he would turn and snuggle closer to the older. ‘The world doesn't deserve you, Zero-kun.’ he thought to himself, taking immense pleasure in running his hand through the child’s hair to wake him up before the day class girls did as much as he didn't want to. They were supposed to start bringing him to class with them tonight but Shiki wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not. After what happened in town the nobles weren't convinced he was ready to face the day class but Kaien had insisted it was time the boy was introduced to large crowds more regularly even if he didn't enjoy it. 

“We’ll be there to help him if he needs it.” Takuma reassured their small group although it was clear he was also trying to convince himself things were going to be alright. Yuuki was adored by the day class girls when she was brought out a few times with Cross, she enjoyed the attention and happily talked with the older girls. Zero was a different story, he looked as striking as the night class and it was clearly where he belonged but that would mean the fans would be more aggressive in trying to get close to the small child. The vampires had seen it many times before between noble children and regular humans, pulling and pushing in order to stare at their more elegant classmates. Uncomfortable would be the nicest of words to use. Zero wasn't required to wear a uniform but he was dressed up nicer than normal by Rima, upon coming downstairs with the orange-haired noble he was a bit surprised to get a nod of approval from Ruka after she looked him up and down for anything out of place. 

“This is going to be tedious.” Kain mumbled after hearing the girls start up their usual screaming. Like the others he too got up earlier than normal to prepare himself for the inevitable walk to class. He was excited to have Zero spend the night with them finally but getting there was going to be like walking through hell. Never had he dreaded the sound of the metal gates clanging open so much as he would tonight. Ruka huffed beside him, like most aristocratic vampires she actively disliked the human race, taking another quick glance at the small hunter listening to whatever Takum was rambling about she sighed to herself. The humans were going to go after the boy as soon as he entered their vision. 

“In some ways they are even worse than level E’s.” the disgust was clear in her tone, a toss of rose-blond hair over a sharp shoulder indicating more of her silent irritation. 

“You only say that because you have no real fans.” Aido, smug grin in place, pointed out. 

“I don't let myself get so low to where I crave the attention of useless beings.” the vampiress shot back with a pointed glare that could rival hell itself. Zero knew that look, his parents were masters at moving crowds out of their way. A single look in someone’s direction could clear a street for the next month, but Zero understood why his parents kept the public at bay and assumed Ruka wasn't much different in some respects. Sure his family wasn't as rude but they too preferred not to meddle with humans. It was much safer. His mother was particularly cold at times, something he didn't really understand even when his father explained it. 

_ “Some people don't know how to keep to themselves when they see others that look different than them. Your mother is keeping herself safe by keeping them away as best she can. She is keeping you and your brother safe as well, in case someone were to want you.”  _ he had said, when Zero inquired about the odd action. His mother was never that way at home with the staff or them. 

_ “Who is she protecting us from?”  _ he had asked, wanting to understand this apparent threat to their family. He was supposed to protect his family as the firstborn son, he couldn't do such a thing if he didn't know what he was supposed to look out for. His father didn't give him a direct answer, instead ruffling his hair and telling him not to worry about it because their mom wouldn't let anything happen to them. She was a strong woman, not one to mess with outside of their house. Warrior was a fitting title she was often given in and out of the association.

“Are you ready? Remember to stay close to us and try to ignore them as best you can okay?” Takuma pulled him from his memories, the silverette nodded a little, making no outward indication of being bothered by the increase in screaming. Tucked in between Takuma and Shiki, with Kaname ahead and Kain behind him, he was surrounded by a wall of night class students as the doors finally opened. Just as he witnessed previously from his room, two humans attempted to keep the mass of students in line with varying success. Feeling a hand on his shoulder Zero looked up to Takuma’s smiling eyes, assuring him it would be okay. Taking a mental breath he walked in-step as best he could with the others, the piercing screams reaching sensitive ears made him want to recoil back to the dorms but he pressed forward. 

“Look, does one of them have a little brother?” the whispers started quietly but quickly he became the sole interest of the day class. 

“Look over here!” another screamed louder than necessary, trying to get his attention, he didn't want to look. He didn't want to be anywhere near them. 

“He’s so pretty, don't you just want to hold him?” the group was pressing closer, breaking up the night class’ line and trampling over the humans Takuma had called Perfects. At the sudden realization the day class had far more numbers than the smaller night class, the students rushed forward, a sudden pull of his coat had Zero looking up into the very unfamiliar eyes of a girl he hadn't seen approach them. 

“You’re so pretty, little one, what’s your name?” her smile was trying to be kind but Zero almost felt threatened by the way her eyes glinted at him. Her hand reached out again, Zero wasn't sure what he was supposed to do as he froze in  place. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cut it a liiiitle bit short from where I had this chapter ending originally because I wanted it to be a bit of a surprise to see who comes to little Zero's aid. Any guesses? I won't tell you if you're right but I bet you can figure it out. Who was the woman he was talking to and why? We'll have to find out later on if she ever comes back. Also, hopefully my past interaction between Kaname and his father and then between Zero and his father with the italics weren't super off-putting? I never really know how I should write memory sections but I do like using them. The woman talking to Zero was only talking to him in his head which may have been confusing, maybe I should distinguish that a little bit more from the rest of the character cast talking out loud? Let me know what you think, if you have suggestions that would be awesome or if it didn't bother you that's good to know too. Thanks again to everyone enjoying this as much as I am even if it's not as good in some ways as Actor or Silver Wings was, I'm having too much fun writing a child fic for Zero. I might have to do another one soon, maybe with the entire night class as children? We'll see what happens. As per usual, have a wonderful night/day or whatever time slot you're in and always remember to keep reading, keep writing, and live creative. Until next time! ~Len


	5. Can You Understand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Look, does one of them have a little brother?" the whispers started quietly but quickly he became the sole interest of the day class.
> 
> "Look over here!" another screamed louder than necessary, trying to get his attention, he didn't want to look. He didn't want to be anywhere near them.
> 
> "He's so pretty, don't you just want to hold him?" the group was pressing closer, breaking up the night class' line and trampling over the humans Takuma had called Perfects. At the sudden realization the day class had far more numbers than the smaller night class, the students rushed forward, a sudden pull of his coat had Zero looking up into very unfamiliar eyes of a girl he hadn't seen approach them.
> 
> "You're so pretty, little one, what's your name?" her smile was trying to be kind but Zero almost felt threatened by the way her eyes glinted at him. Her hand reached out again, Zero wasn't sure what he was supposed to do as he froze in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Welcome back if you've been here and welcome if you're new to my fic or my page! I'll just say thank you all so much for your comments. It has gotten me through so much lately, I've been in and out of the ER, I have surgery coming up on Friday to hopefully fix everything so I'll probably be taking a short break from everything for a hot minute to recover after this week. But, I didn't want to leave you hanging with a measly four chapters so we're pushing out chapter 5 a little earlier than expected. I'll stop rambling, thank you again for all your love and support! Please enjoy! ~Len

Heart beating rapidly he didn't notice someone had stepped in front of him, creating a much needed gap from the girl. "Did your parents never teach you manners?" the singing hiss was low but direct, looking up Zero noticed the girl's arm had been caught and jerked away from him. Connected to her wrist was a painfully rough grip caused by manicured nails. Rose-blond hair fell gracefully behind Ruka as the breeze caught up with her movement but it was her glare that dared anyone else to step forward. Letting the day class girl go with a disgusted huff she turned to the hunter and looked him over. "Come." was all she said, it wasn't a request but the hand that was held out toward him contradicted everything else he had just witnessed. Hesitantly he took it, gently pulled to her side, another glare was tossed at the day class before she walked with him to catch up to the other nobles before letting go again pretending nothing had happened. Zero missed the contact at first but understood, she was doing this out of necessity more than anything. Still, he wasn't rude enough to ignore her gesture. Tapping her wrist gently to get her attention he almost regretted the action when those fiery eyes were turned on him again. Taking a bit of a breath he nodded to her.

"Arigatou." he spoke softly but clearly, he doubted she would respond well to mumbles or whispering. Turning back to join Takuma and Shiki he suddenly stopped when she took his hand again, glancing up at her he watched the noble square her shoulders again but continue to hold his hand going so far as to guide him toward their classroom before motioning for him to join the others again. He listened but didn't miss the lingering eye contact before he left to join Shiki at the window. 'Harsh, but protective.' he thought, allowing himself to lean onto the somehow already tired noble beside him as he prepared for a long evening. He had never attended school like a normal kid but he had overheard other children forced to attend school in the association complain enough to never envy them.

"Are you alright?" Shiki whispered out the question everyone was thinking into the quiet classroom, Zero gave him a short nod, he was fine. The noble gave him a quick once-over just in case and encouraged the child to rest, it wasn't as though he'd be doing any work so there was no harm in taking a nap. Zero took to staring out the window, he was content as long as the others were around.

"You're going to make him lazy." Ruka, arms crossed and scowl apparent, gestured to the sleeping hunter on Takuma's lap after they had returned from class and settled in the common room. They had begun to use it more with Zero around, occasionally taking him outside to walk in the gardens and around the campus. They had yet to attempt another visit into town fearing a repeat of the last time but Zero was still progressing steadily.

"I don't think he'll ever be a lazy kid, it's good to have him rest though. We don't know how much stimulation he can have before it becomes too much. Until we do I believe it's best to keep the activity to a fair minimum. Besides, it's not like he's ever expressed a real want to go out." Takuma shrugged, he pegged Zero as someone that was able to be content pretty much anywhere he was as long as he had some staple things. Some form of comfort item, may it be a blanket, a book, or his gun much to the vampires' dislike was always present and some form of nature. He tended to sit near whoever was closest to the windows or doors and became more expressive when he was outside.

"I wonder, is Cross-san planning on putting him back through the association's training after he is declared stable enough?" Kain asked aloud, it had been on his mind for a while, and even though they never considered it to be an option given the circumstances it was possible Zero was supposed to return to the association once Cross figured he was well enough to do so. Judging by the looks of his peers, the idea had surfaced in their minds at least once as they turned to Kaname for an answer. The pureblood was the only one in regular contact with Cross and had a relative idea of what was to become of the child but even he didn't look like he had a response.

"I do not know as of now, Cross-san hasn't come to me with the idea although it is a possibility. Zero-kun is a hunter, orphaned or not, he is the child to one of the oldest and strongest hunter clans known to us. I would not be surprised if those instincts will resurface with time. It would be in our best interest to allow him to choose if that path is correct or not for him." he settled on responding though he knew the group wouldn't be pleased with the answer. Vampires tended to grow attachments to things and people they recognized as equal to them, something Zero was becoming, he would not be let go of easily by any of them.

"Let's hope we don't have to worry about that any time soon." Rima mumbled into the otherwise quiet room as she joined Takuma and Shiki on the couch, running her hand through the boy's hair caused him to stir just enough to crack open his eyes in acknowledgment of the noble. "Are you hungry? It's almost dinner time." she explained her reasoning for rousing him from a peaceful sleep. A small tilt of the head told her he didn't have a real preference, he was comfortable waiting where he was or getting up.

"For dinner I believe tonkatsu is the main dish our chef was preparing, I'm sure the appetizers are similar to last night. And, of course, you can get whatever you want otherwise. Does that sound alright?" Kain elaborated a little more, he wasn't sure what foods Zero liked still but sometimes it would seem he was more excited for one option over another.

"Sure." as usual his voice was quiet and rarely heard but no one would deny it being melodic, Kain only wished he could hear it in a full sentence instead of single-syllable words but he would take what he could get. At his approval the night class began moving to get ready for dinner leaving the boy to wait for them in the common room gazing out the window. It was raining this particular evening, a sign to him that spring was coming a little earlier than normal. Zero didn't hate the spring, the blue and white flowers in his yard were picked every week and brought in to sit in the crystal glass vase his father had bought his mother for some event he didn't pay attention to at the time. Blue was his mother's favorite color. 'Azure blue.' he reminded himself, of the name often, trying to think of better memories when he could control his thoughts. The noise of the rain was comforting, when he closed his eyes and focused it was almost as though he could feel every drop hitting the window, the noise of water flowing off the gutter in a consistent stream, they were peaceful noises he enjoyed. The sound of footsteps caught his attention as they approached him, heavier footsteps that walked with dignified purpose.

"The rain is getting heavier." Ruka stated from beside him, she didn't like the rain, Zero could feel her body shift unhappily. At first he would have guessed it was because of what water could do to her physical appearance, mess with her hair and ruin her clothes, but glancing at her he decided that wasn't it. Her arms were crossed but they remained clenched to her sides, the same way Ichiru would when his stomach hurt. Again her weight shifted but the strength behind her normal movements had all but disappeared from her demeanor. Eyes narrowing a bit Zero watched and listened, her heart sped up as the rain got harder then would settle again when she got used to the new volume. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but it wasn't normal. Against his better judgment, he got up from the couch and approached her carefully in case she snapped out of her daze and rejected his presence. She didn't flinch too much when he took her hand nor did she glare at him, they just looked at each other for a few minutes without speaking until she shook her head and patted his head. "I'm alright." Zero didn't really believe her, but he wouldn't press, if there was one thing he understood it was fear. He knew it could take control of someone's body and mind without warning, leaving them stranded in unfamiliar places. "How...how did you know?" Ruka questioned, curiosity of the boy's actions getting the best of her. She had witnessed him being comforted by the others and knew he was aware of most things but she was surprised he could tell how she was feeling. Zero shrugged a little, tipping his head down to hide the small blush on his cheeks.

"I watched, and listened." he admitted, embarrassed for being so blatantly invasive but he couldn't ignore her question. She wasn't angry with him, there was something else. Just as the night when she had rescued him from the day class girls she held out her hand to him and he took it with a little more confidence in his action than the last time. He understood fear, even if he didn't know what her fear was from he could recognize the emotion. Ruka nodded, she didn't know how the child knew what to look for but he did. The rain outside threatened to penetrate the calm she was getting from the aura of the child but Zero was careful to keep gentle eye contact and would squeeze her hand if he noticed her focus wavering.

"You're quite different from other children." she stated more than asked to which she received a quiet snort and nod.

"We-...I am." he replied almost dryly but there was a small waver that lingered. Ruka realized in his mind there was no 'we' anymore. His family was gone, his family being the only people he had real traits in common with. Here he felt isolated and alienated by the world around him. A feeling Ruka knew far too well from her own childhood, knowing the young boy was suffering in a similar silence hurt for a reason she couldn't explain.

"We are, in the hunting community, your name has as much weight as a pureblood in ours. Do you understand that?" she asked, moving to sit on the ground in front of the boy. Another nod, he knew what the Kiryuu name meant to the vampires and other hunters. For low-level vampires it was a death sentence, for others it was a way to threaten their children into behaving or the name that spurred rumors by the dozen due to his family's reclusive lifestyle. He never minded it personally unlike his twin. Ichiru was more lively, he wanted to make friends and attend normal school or functions like other families did and often expressed his anger at their parents for not being the same before locking himself in Zero's room for a couple days. "It's not wrong to be different from the others, aristocrats may not be exactly the same as hunter elites but we know what it's like to serve our leaders and follow what is right. Isn't that ultimately what your family does?" Ruka again got his attention, those eyes so emotional at her question she could have stared at them for hours and never be able to decipher what all went through them.

"Yes." a confident answer, she wasn't completely sure but she thought she may have gotten through a small barrier. He wasn't by himself, he may be different from them but he was considered part of their circle. He was part of their lives, their semi-dysfunctional family. Receiving another pat on the head Ruka stood and brushed the invisible dust from her clothes.

"I'm glad you two are getting along." Takuma gave his classmate a knowing smile, that she scoffed at, before opening his arms to receive the eight-year-old. "As always the others are taking their sweet time, shall we find a place to sit for the evening?" not expecting a response he was surprised when Zero tilted his head curiously at the mentioning of their dinner.

"You don't know how to cook." it wasn't really a question, and caught both nobles by surprise, laughing a bit nervously Takuma shook his head. Under Zero's stare he felt like an idiot for not knowing how to make even the simplest of meals. Like most aristocrats his parents weren't keen on doing household work themselves, preferring to hire butlers or maids and chefs so they could focus on more important issues relating to their work. He knew table etiquette before he could talk but would be one of the last vampires to be seen trying to make breakfast. Last time he tried he was shooed out of the kitchen before he could turn on the stove.

"Kain can...I think...and I'm sure Kaname-sama can make something on his own? Miso at least." the blond replied which Zero found particularly funny. Gentle laughter filled the room, eyes closed and guard down for the first time. It didn't take long for the rest of the night class to join the trio in the common room. Sending each other looks as Zero continued to giggle on the floor.

"You think you can cook better than us Zero-kun?" Ruka teased playfully, ignoring the looks she was getting from behind her. The silverette nodded in response, he at the very least could make okonomiyaki and katsu sando. He learned how to cook from his father who had claimed if he wasn't a hunter he would have become a chef just to prove a point to his long-time best friend he cooked better. They would make anything his mother and Ichiru asked for as long as they didn't have to shop for ingredients.

"Hmm so we finally have another cook in the house?" the chef called from the doorway to their dining room, arms crossed with a ladle in one hand and a spatula in the other. Zero turned toward him, and shrugged a bit. "Care to join me in the kitchen then young one?" the man furthered, hair pulled back into a loosely tamed bun and thick glasses that slipped down a little too far on his nose wasn't the image of a chef that Zero would have originally assumed but if this was the person behind the midnight snacks and cheese platters he enjoyed he certainly didn't mind getting to know him a little better. Glancing up at Takuma the blond gave him an encouraging smile prompting him to approach the man on his own. "Dinner will be ready in an hour." he told the night class, handing Zero the spatula and leading him into the kitchen.

"I don't know what you did, Ruka, but it worked." Kaname, not oblivious to the way she watched after the boy, voiced once they had vanished from sight.

"I didn't do anything, we just...understood." she shrugged, a smile the pureblood hadn't seen since she was a young child coming over her lips before she gracefully walked into the dining room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have our next chapter, did you guess correctly? If you don't know what katsu sando is, it's a type of sandwich thing that's really good, okonomiyaki is a savory pancake-like dish we make when we have a surplus of cabbage. As always I had so much fun writing this section, I know I made Ruka a bit OOC but I think it works to go into her background just enough to make her actions and initial attitude understandable and I actually really enjoy the relationship developing between her and Zero. I love this story more than I ever thought I would if I'm honest and I'm elated that you all have loved it just as much. Like I mentioned above I will be taking a short break to recover from surgery but I will have chapter six up and coming soon I promise. We will be moving time forward a little bit in the next chapter, jumping a couple months ahead because I don't want to be stuck in one time frame forever and that will happen if I'm not careful. Maybe for another fic but not this one. October is my birthday month, and my busiest month but I will not leave you hanging I swear. Again, thank you so much for your reviews and comments, I really love reading them and hearing what you guys have to say. Remember to stay healthy and safe, keep reading, keep writing, and live creative. Until next time! ~Len


	6. Afraid To See You Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following Zero's relationship progression with Ruka, there's still one more noble he has yet to get on the good side of. He's not sure if Aido will ever see him as more than a waste of breath and space but being around the others keeps his mind off of it throughout the night with the exception of mealtime. An intimate time for most families, his included, it is possible that maybe, just maybe he can get through to Aido using the one thing the blond is the pickiest about? And later, a certain pureblood silently suffers from an uncommon enemy, fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and good evening! It's been a little bit since I've been on here but I wanted to come back with something good for the chapter and good news to share! I'm officially off all medication and waiting for the last of my stitches to dissolve and fall out before I am declared fully healed. Hopefully, by the end of the month, there won't even be scarring to be noticed! It's also my birthday next week and while we are keeping ourselves safe I do plan to celebrate with my family and some good friends at a park 6 feet away. I mentioned October is a busy month and that still holds true year after year but of course, my fanfictions are wherever I go and I'm very happy to be back. Other than that I'm excited to share this chapter with you, it starts out pretty wholesome and there is a pretty big time skip toward the middle. Mostly because I don't want young Zero's antics to get too mundane and repetitive so I'll be skipping a few years, four years to be exact. I will make it abundantly clear when that happens without bringing you out of the story which is why I'm saying it here so if you don't read my A/N's and don't get it that is on you, my friend. Please enjoy and I'll see you again soon! ~Len

Afraid To See You Go

The chef, Zero quickly came to know as Akiyama-san, hummed to himself as they prepared lunch together for the nobles on a Saturday mid-moon. "Perfectly done as always Zero-kun, you're a natural." he praised the young boy watching as delicate fingers breaded each pork cutlet without making a mess or allowing any food to go to waste. Akiyama helped him place the tender pieces into the hot oil-coated skillet so the child wouldn't accidentally burn himself before moving on to preparing seaweed salad and fries while the hunter made sure nothing burned in the skillet.

"Mm lunch smells good," Takuma smiled brightly from the doorway, after placing the last of the cutlets on paper towels to dry Zero turned off the stove and walked over to the noble, holding out his hand to drag the older teen into the kitchen and over to his station. "Katsu sando hm? And a salad with rice, fries, and is that ramen as well? You two have really outdone yourselves." he chuckled at the blank stare the silverette gave him.

"This is basic." he pointed out with a shrug passing a large serving dish to the noble. They plated the food together and with a couple of servers brought all the dishes to the main table where the pureblood and his inner circle ate together. It was Kaname that called everyone to eat shortly after from the other room, waiting until everyone was there before they seated themselves, Zero watched subtly as the group served themselves he had been particularly interested in seeing some of their reactions but he wasn't about to get caught watching. Carefully biting into his own portion he couldn't help feeling a sense of his former home but before he could get caught up in memories the noises of the night class flooded his ears. He had noticed Ruka became more talkative at the table, going so far as to start conversations with Rima about their day or what the newest line of clothes was going to be at the top of fashion week Japan this year. Kain and Takuma talked about classwork with Kaname occasionally joining in depending on the topic. Shiki was his usual quiet but he was attentive to the easy commotion going on around him. It was Aido that surprised Zero the most lately, he was normally loud and clear in his dislike for the hunter at any and all times but when they ate he had become completely silent. They had made eye contact a few times but nothing was ever said, it went unnoticed by the others but sometimes Zero thought he saw a flicker of excitement or gratitude in those blue eyes as he ate. Aido was a picky eater, Zero learned quickly, much like a spoiled child he initially thought. He had refused to touch anything the child made for the first few nights, hell he refused to come in contact with anything that had been around Zero at first. Zero wasn't hurt by it, he wasn't surprised either considering this was a noble that detested him but there had been a single time that Aido had talked to him with no trace of his normal malice.

He had woken up hungry, an odd feeling since he usually ate well and it wasn't normal for him to start his day by heading for the kitchen but he figured maybe he had burned a little too much fat reserves during his recovery and his body was wanting to catch back up. He wasn't the largest eight-year-old to begin with but he certainly felt smaller following his first couple weeks at the academy. His fatigue had taken his appetite away and he wasn't about to ask a bunch of noles to feed him. But that was a while ago, he had long gotten past those initial fears, especially when nobles started sleeping in his room with him. 'Mother hen.' he sighed to himself as he carefully removed his body from Takuma's protective arms as to not wake the blond. Holding his breath he made sure the older didn't hear him crack open the door before exiting and walking down the now-familiar hallway. As he approached the kitchen there was a noise that made him pause, to his knowledge no one was awake yet seeing as it was still daytime, the idea of an intruder crossed his mind and made his breath hitch but he quickly shook that thought away. Even if a level E or any unfamiliar vampire _could_ get near the dorms without being noticed by the perfects first they would have been torn to shreds by Kaname. Again, the vampires were protective nearly to a fault. So, curiosity spurring to life, that meant it was a resident, Akiyama wasn't due to be up for at least another two hours and the servers rarely got up in the morning to begin with. Peeking around the corner he heard a quiet bump followed by a hiss as the younger blond noble removed himself from the fridge door rubbing his head with a plate of leftover soba Zero had made the previous evening. Akiyama rarely made leftovers but Zero insisted he would eat it the next day so he didn't need to cook for him. The man huffed a bit but eventually gave in to his silver-haired kitchen shadow which became an affectionate nickname between the two of them. Aido didn't eat it the night before so why was he taking it out now? Watching silently as the icy vampire fumbled around looking for chopsticks Zero was surprised to hear the content moan-like sound that escaped his lips as he mercilessly dug into the dish. So he _did_ like it, a lot apparently. "It's better hot...I could make you a fresh one." he whispered, knowing that it was better to announce his presence now than to be caught when the blond finished humming to himself. Azure blue eyes snapped open as he turned around at the speed of light to stare partially open-mouthed at the doorway where the child stood. They held eye contact for a while, saying nothing in the tense air of the kitchen, Zero braced himself for the verbal and possibly physical thrashing he was sure the teen had wanted to inflict on him since day one.

"That's not necessary." eventually the noble spoke, surprising the hunter greatly, his tone was a bit gritted and rough toward him but it was nothing close to the frost-bitten scorch he was used to hearing. "Are...are you hungry?" Aido furthered, his tone softened a bit further as he assessed the likely reason why the boy was even in the kitchen. He received a small nod and moved out of the way, he didn't leave but gave the boy enough room to move between him and his desired destination without feeling too claustrophobic. He watched the child as he pulled certain items from the fridge and made himself a simple snack of egg salad using some leftover hard-boiled eggs they didn't end up using for dinner as planned. He moved easily, hardly paying attention to Aido as he mixed mayo, the eggs, salt, pepper, and a few things the blond didn't know the name of to make the appetizing dish. Pulling out bread and a knife he cut small pieces and made a few open-faced sandwiches. He made more than he knew he would eat, for later or maybe Takuma if he got up and came to the kitchen in search of him. Aido swallowed, he hadn't finished the soba and he was still hungry, more than once called a bottomless pit by his cousin on the off chance he found something he enjoyed to eat. He knew there was no reason the hunter would trust him, he had made it pretty clear he disliked the kid which was a decision he was regretting now. Biting his lip, he wasn't sure where to start, was he even supposed to talk to the boy? Did Zero want to talk to him? 'Doubt it.' his mind supplied. He was lost in thought until the noise of a plate sliding toward him pulled him back to the kitchen. Looking up he noted the boy wasn't looking at him but there was a plate with three sandwiches on it that had been pushed toward him, he stared at Zero for a second longer before going back to the plate. It wasn't like anything he had eaten before, creamy, textured right, the perfect amount of flavor but it didn't overwhelm the taste of the complimenting bread either. He didn't notice his eyes had closed until he reopened them as Zero was putting leftovers back into the fridge for later on. The boy was so quiet when he moved it was almost scary. Before he could leave the kitchen the noble hastily swallowed and opened his mouth. "Thank you, you're a good cook...Zero." he didn't look at him, he wasn't sure if he would get a response either.

"You're welcome, I won't tell anyone." it was a simple assurance of a silent agreement that took place. Aido wouldn't acknowledge him around the others, he may actively dislike him, but since then Zero always made a few extra snacks leaving them in the fridge for later and they would always be gone before anyone else noticed. At dinner Aido was subtle, miraculously, about dishing the boy's food onto his own plate but he would send the hunter a look of appreciation as he ate. It was never spoken, and they kept their routine a secret but thank you came in many forms and from Aido it came in a near-silent humm of bliss that went unnoticed by all but one. As they ate ramen and katsu sando it was no different, he watched, made sure Aido liked it then he would continue to listen to the other nobles like nothing ever happened.

Kaname sat across from the headmaster in his office, he didn't show it but he was growing severely displeased at what the man was saying. "I mean he is twelve now, it's probably time he started going to regular school with other children his age. I know crowds still aren't his favorite but he'll be going with Yuuki and I know she will take good care of him. She is quite parental when she wants to be now days you know." the ex-hunter rambled on, the idea of sending the kids to private school had been a subject Kaien had slowly started to bring up over time. Yuuki was certainly in need of some proper education and while Zero did learn in the night class he was still quite young for high school curriculum. The first time Kaname immediately refused the idea, they weren't safe away from the academy, they would be in town but too far for any of them to get there fast enough without using powers in case something happened and it would be during the day. A time Zero wasn't used to living in. Not to mention it was a school of humans and neither child had a lot of experience dealing with human children in such numbers. It was a disaster waiting to happen he was sure. But Kaien didn't give up on the idea and continued to talk about it, slowly grinding down Kaname's will to argue with every three-hour-long talk. The pureblood always left his place nervous and with a headache, entering the moon dorms feeling just as irritated until he could see the young hunter and assure himself that Zero was alright. He knew he had grown far too attached to the boy, Zero was a hunter and he already had Yuuki, but the silverette was just so different he couldn't help but become enamored every day. It had been a long road to get where they were, Zero would talk, he would laugh and tease the others, he still cooked and had even taken up sparring on occasion though the vampires were always a little more careful than necessary about too much fighting going on. Zero wasn't Yuuki, but he was precious in ways Kaname was guilty to admit his sealed sister would never be.

"Welcome back." the twelve-year-old greeted as the pureblood's coat was taken to be hung, Zero placed a freshly brewed cup of tea and lemon scone on the brunette's side table. He would always make things for them after long nights or whenever Kaname had to meet with Cross. He didn't pry about their conversations, but the pureblood was sure he had some idea of what was going on somehow. The kid was exceedingly perceptive.

"Thank you, Zero-kun." his smile was tight initially but it relaxed as he sat down and the child joined him on the arm of his chair with a book in hand. They would read in silence for a while until Zero eventually got too antsy and put his reading aside. He kept quiet but would find a deck or two of cards and begin setting up a solo game. The night class learned after a while Zero was very good at cards, too good some would say, he fancied poker the most but when he was by himself he would play these endless complicated games of solitaire and free cell. He would play Kaname in chess too at times when the teen was up for it but he never asked to be played with directly, he was content by himself until someone asked for his attention. Some days he would find the boy outside staring into space or sleeping under trees at the edge of the forest, Zero never complained about living at a high school with no one but Yuuki, who he rarely saw, his own age. Kaname watched him over the rim of his book, having given up on reading since his mind was too distracted. Mouth going a bit dry he decided to ask the boy his thoughts directly. "Zero, can we talk for a moment?" he questioned, giving himself time to prepare what he was going to say and to see if the boy was willing to talk extensively today.

"Mm sure." he replied, re-shuffling his cards before storing them away properly again before he made his way to Kaname's chair.

"Headmaster Cross thinks it is time that you and Yuuki attend a school...suited to your age group." the pureblood began, unsure of how to begin this conversation exactly, Zero liked him to be direct but the wavering that flickered through amethyst eyes before they steeled themselves made him wonder again if this was such a good idea.

"I can go to school." Kaname noted it was said much quieter than usual, eyes no longer giving away his thought process but he would be an idiot if he thought that was an agreement. Zero had come to be just as if not more aware of his ability to be blunt as the pureblood. If he didn't agree with something but didn't think he should argue he would say he could do something, or the action was possible, but that didn't mean he wanted to or enjoyed the request. Often this came in the form of when the nobles would ask that they stop sparring, or inform him they were to visit Cross Kaien. Kaname had picked up on the tactic quickly but he had yet to ever hear the boy seriously argue, Zero was more likely to begrudgingly do as he was told without complaining but he would sometimes actively spend more time alone afterward signaling that he wasn't pleased.

"We can discuss it more later, but you should know it is being discussed at the very least." Kaname aimed to ease the non-visible worry, he wasn't sure if it worked but Zero didn't have much time to think about it deeply before Shiki came walking in the door just returning from the latest photoshoot. Just as with Kaname Zero greeted him, only Shiki was given a hug and lifted into the noble's arms before he was allowed to scamper to the kitchen to bring the auburn-haired teen his tea and snack. Kaname felt his chest tighten while watched the two talk about Shiki's day, Zero didn't really get the idea of fashion but he enjoyed looking at the noble's impressive portfolio, occasionally he commented if he thought the clothes were strange but mostly he just listened as the teen explained what each set was like and the gossip that was floating around. He knew the uncomfortable feeling well, a mix of both jealousy and fear, fear was not that common to him anymore but he remembered it well. This was a protective fear, he feared that if he were to send the boy to school, even with Yuuki, something would happen. Maybe Zero would want to spend more time with human children, something the night class couldn't allow, maybe he would wish to go back to Cross and be more "normal". Or maybe...maybe it was possible that Zero would walk out the academy gates one day and never return. The idea almost made Kaname break out in a cold sweat, a reaction he only had a few times when it came to Yuuki's safety. He didn't notice when Zero approached him again, a look of concern visible in his eyes, he numbly noticed when the silverette climbed into his lap, laying his head on the pureblood's shoulder. Instinctively wrapping his arms around the small chest that leaned into his own and breathing in the scent of metal with a hint of lilac and jasmine.

"It's okay." the whisper greeted his ears, prompting his arms to tighten just a little more than necessary, logically he knew it was indeed okay. This was school they were talking about, it's not like the boy was leaving for the military. But still, as images of his bruised and beaten body from the first night they met assaulted his mind, Kaname couldn't help the fear that grew. He knew Zero was safe with the night class, safe with him, and possibly safe with Cross as long as he wasn't given anything to eat. He didn't want to jeopardize that safety, he was afraid to let the boy leave his arms, terrified to let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh it feels so good to have sent this out to the world, another wholesome one with Aido and a bit of Kaname at the end this time, officially all the nobles are on board with our adorable quiet charmer! Which means it's time to dive a little deeper into some not so easy subjects following Zero's age up. As always I will give warnings when I feel they're needed but if I miss one please let me know! I'm not here to send anyone into a spiral, I just tend to write dark. If you've come from other fics of mine you know this already. Also, yes I know the age up was a bit sudden and I didn't go into much detail about Zero's progression but I also figure it's pretty safe to assume that the night class continues to work with him (yes a noble will still sleep with him every now and then) and there will be some emotional setbacks where more of that will come into play in the upcoming chapters. As always, thank you so so so much for being here I really appreciate it and hope you enjoyed. Have a wonderful night/day or whatever time slot you happen to be in, stay safe, stay healthy, and always keep reading, keep writing and live creative! Until next time! ~Len


	7. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So it was decided, Yuuki and Zero would be attending a school for their age group in order to get core education and meet some friends. Yuuki is excited to finally get some new faces and have a group her own age to hang around, Zero on the other hand isn't so thrilled. Upon meeting the new crass Headmistress, Kaname is also concerned about how the young hunter will fare. Zero and Yuuki's first day arrives too soon for the Night Class and Zero wants nothing to do with the annoying class president that won't stop staring at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is coming out a little later than I wanted it to, I was at a (COVID safe) Halloween party and haven't been able to sit down and write anything I really liked in the last couple of weeks (not fun) also, NanoWrimo has started up again and while I always love doing it there is a little bit more pressure to get that novel well in the works since I have a time limit, unlike this one. And umm I won't talk about the possible demise of the US going on as we speak since you're probably here to get away from that. And you're not here to listen to me whine, so! What is in store for our adorable cast? In the last chapter, we went over the idea of Yuuki and Zero going to school in case you don't remember and this will be the follow-up to that. A smooth transition? Probably not. I'm also bending school rules a little bit, Yuuki will be in Zero's main class even though she is a year younger throughout the story. I wanted to shove them together to solidify the contrast between their personalities and we will see how that will affect the dynamics when they get back to the academy. I do plan to bring out more of Zero's canon "rough and crude" personality starting with his interactions at school. Some pre-mental strain warning I think is the only thing I need to give for this chapter, nothing too heavy or deep yet since we're just getting into it. Please enjoy and I'll see you again soon! Happy November! ~Len

Yuuki all but flew downstairs in order to greet her foster brother and Kaname at the door to Cross' home. Unable to hold in her excitement she nearly crashed into the door before pulling it open to reveal the blank-faced silverette and a kind-looking Kaname. "Welcome Kaname-sama!" the joy that beamed off innocent chocolate-wine eyes made Kaname chuckle, truly Yuuki was a gift of purity, an innocence like no other could produce came rolling off her aura. As usual Zero was a bit more apprehensive about the behavior, it wasn't threatening just strange and difficult to relate to. If it was anyone else Kaname would have forced him to greet and play with the girl but this was Zero, a world of innocence did not exist to him and he wasn't about to fake like it did. "Hello, Zero." she greeted much quieter, as though she was trying not to scare off a mouse. Zero nodded his greeting in response and allowed a strange silence to fill the room shortly after, truly he had no clue how to talk to the girl.

"Good evening Yuuki, is Cross ready to go?" Kaname stepped in, rescuing him from that consistent gaze that he didn't know what to do with, she never expected or forced him to speak or play with her but it was obvious she wanted something, Zero just didn't know what that was. Were all children like Yuuki? He only really ever had his brother to compare to other children but even though Ichiru was much different from him, even he wasn't anything like Yuuki. As though a switch had flipped when the pureblood spoke Yuuki was back to all smiles and her cheerful aura which was the scene Cross walked in upon looking very pleased with himself. He had arranged for the children to attend an evening school, per the night class' request, and made sure it wasn't too far away, _and_ was able to convince the headmaster to put both children in the same class despite age and grade differences. It certainly wasn't an easy task but if he wanted this to happen he would need to make sure Kaname's requirements were met. It was going to be a good school, he knew Yuuki would enjoy it at least.

'But, of course, Yuuki isn't necessarily the one we're concerned about.' he was careful not to show his worry for the silver-haired boy when those lilac-amethyst eyes caught his, Zero's expression was blank and untelling but that was part of the problem. Compared to most human children, Zero had about as much emotional flexibility as a porcelain doll, his looks wouldn't help him out either the ex-hunter was positive. The first week of school might be something akin to a nightmare for the normally socially reserved and quiet child.

"This is going to be so much fun! Cross-san said that we're going to make a lot of friends and get to play a lot! I hope everyone is nice, Kaname-sama do you think they will like me?" Zero listened for a moment before turning out Yuuki's excited chatter toward the pureblood to survey the area more carefully. Like Cross Academy iron gates lined the campus entrance, large black iron poles tipped with gold opened giving way to a tall stone building. Four stories seemed much taller with pitched rooftops and arched windows, every trim was lined with gold yet the building was brick red. Appealing was not the first word that came to the young hunter's mind as they walked along a scuffed up stone walkway. In the main doorway there was a woman waiting for their arrival, she was a regular human Zero noted, but the way she held herself reminded him of the association elders. A stiff back was accompanied by stern features, wrinkles embedded in her skin too deep to be ironed out again, amber eyes may have been considered pretty once but these were crusted with long years and disciplinary action.

"Welcome Cross Kaien, I take it these are your enrollees and...their guardian?" the way she stared Kaname up and down with unhidden questions was unpleasant. "My name is Shiibashi Ayumi, you may address me as Shiibashi-san or Headmistress Shiibashi, I am the headmistress of this preparatory academy. Come, I will introduce you to your teachers and show you around the necessary areas of campus. Placement exams have been set up for you to take today while we go over what you need to know as a guardian." she didn't leave time for anyone to protest, Zero noted her skirt barely allowed for leg movement as she briskly walked the halls to the headmistress' private office. Her room was much like that of the school and the woman herself, manicured but poorly decorated with an unpleasant taste in color. Zero was glad to be led into another room by their to-be homeroom teacher, the far more lively rose-haired Tanaka Sayuka, the placement tests weren't particularly difficult, math, writing, and science he never struggled much with. A tutor had once claimed if he wanted to he could study a harder curriculum but it would have meant leaving his brother in a lower level class and Zero didn't want to hurt Ichiru's feelings by making him feel left out. Once he had finished the exam and handed it back to the too cheerful teacher he sat down and let his thoughts occupy the time until Yuuki was done. Her clenched face, as she poured over the first test, told him it was likely going to be a while.

"Aah, that was really hard, are all the tests going to be like that Sensei?" he heard her wine a bit at the woman as she handed Yuuki the second set of papers.

"Only these ones, I promise the tests you'll take in school are much easier, now correct me if I'm wrong but neither of you have gone to a regular school is that right?" Zero could feel her looking at him, expecting an answer but he couldn't bring himself to care enough. Instead choosing to keep his focus out the window on the trees that lined some of the campus, it wasn't as vast or pretty as Cross Academy but he supposed it was okay. As Yuuki's conversation with Sayuka-san continued he found himself growing tired, he wanted to go home to a familiar place with familiar beings.

The evening dragged on, there was more talking, expectations, and something about uniforms. They were introduced to three more staff members Zero wasn't going to remember the names of before being shown around the campus, necessary places included the main office, the infirmary, a large cafeteria, and their homeroom classroom. By the end of it all, he felt so tired the very idea of walking back to the car was too much. "Well that was certainly interesting, what do you think?" Kaien smiled into his rearview mirror at the two children, Yuuki looked like she couldn't contain her excitement but she was keeping herself from talking. "What is it?" the ex-hunter questioned, growing a bit concerned as Yuuki kept glancing at the other occupant of the backseat.

"Zero's asleep." she whispered eventually, making sure to keep her voice quiet enough so she wouldn't risk waking him up. Kaname hummed in amusement, he wasn't surprised, it was a lot of stimulation for a long period of time. He was exhausted and he only had to sit there for a few hours while Kaien did the talking.

"Let him sleep, it's been a long evening," he knew he didn't need to tell her that, Yuuki would be careful not to wake her foster brother, she did watch him though. A look of silent awe in her eyes he recognized all too well. Even without being spoken to Yuuki had developed an attachment to the young hunter that would be hard to ignore.

"I'll have a car ready for them in the morning," Cross mumbled while watching as the pureblood carefully lifted the silverette out of the car so as to not wake him. Kaname didn't give him a response but waved to the two as they left him and Zero at the gates of the moon dorms. Glancing down at the sleeping child he again wondered if they were truly ready for such an adjustment.

"At least we'll get to pick him up afterward, but I won't be surprised if he is just as tired after a normal day as he is tonight," Shiki mumbled as he, Takuma, and the others greeted them at the door. Kaname took the boy upstairs shortly after their welcome to his room to rest a while longer before he would wake him for dinner. Once he had returned to his inner circle the conversation over the boy's well-being at school began again.

"We have to understand Cross-san's point though, Zero is twelve and needs some form of social interaction with others his age. He won't have someone to do it for him forever and if he does end up having to go back to the association he will need to know how to communicate effectively," Ruka pointed out, she didn't like to entertain the thought more than anyone else about the child's future but neither could she ignore it.

"He's smart though, it's possible he plans to get by without talking to anyone more than necessary. The placement tests weren't all that challenging for him and he is used to doing work alone, he may just isolate himself from the rest of his class further." Kain contradicted, it wasn't necessarily to argue that Zero shouldn't attend the school but he knew the boy would have a hell of a time with others around that weren't used to how he acted or knew how to interact with him.

"We can't change what has been decided, all we can do is try to make the transition as smooth as possible for now until we get a better idea of how he will fair," Kaname interjected, it wasn't a real argument but he knew the nobles were worried and things could always get out of hand. He didn't wasn't to risk waking the hunter because of an argument breaking out. "If he knows we are worried he will only conceal his emotions further." he glanced up at the top of the stairs, he couldn't feel Zero moving around meaning the boy was likely still asleep. The vampires settled down once more, they knew there was a risk in talking about their worries with Zero around. On more than one occasion he had physically removed himself from them, his only explanation when he returned with Shiki from the stables was that he didn't want to worry them further.

Zero walked the long hallway, Yuuki bouncing at his side, following the directions of some lady from the office to their homeroom. At least they were on time, there was nothing worse than walking into a classroom already filled with people that were going to stare. He was going to get that regardless, but maybe if the others saw him upon entry they would keep their distance. Yuuki had been talking for most of the car ride, either nagging about him not wearing his tie correctly or yammering about how excited she was to meet some friends. "Here." he nudged her gently toward a door on the side, it was the only thing he had said to her all morning but she didn't seem to care or notice.

"We're going to have fun, right?" childlike gloss shimmered in her eyes as he opened the door, shrugging as they passed through together to greet their teacher. "Ohayo, Sayuka-sensei," Yuuki was quick to greet the woman with a bow, Zero nodded his greeting as he took a glance around the classroom once more. It was decorated differently than the previous evening they had come, bright paintings clearly done by students and posters lined the walls.

"Welcome Zero-kun, Yuuki-chan, it's good to see you both. Your bags can go back in your cubbies along the wall over there and you may choose to sit wherever you please." her smile was kind but Zero could feel her eyes linger on his back a little longer than he would have liked, it was uncomfortable. He almost envied Yuuki for her obliviousness, nothing against the girl but she wouldn't know an ice cube if it hit her in the face. Students were starting to come in, he could feel the energy spike at the classroom door and took his seat, choosing to stare out the window as numerous unfamiliar auras filled the room. Some similar to Yuuki's, energetic and bubbly, others were more subdued and nervous. No one seemed hostile, at least not yet, so he supposed he could relax a little. These were human children after all, it wasn't as though they were going to start attacking. But they were whispering, a few people had gathered a couple rows behind his desk, he could feel more eyes on him. He could hear them, their whispers filling the space.

"Are those the new kids?" one would ask, Zero rolled his eyes, obviously they were new was she blind? Yuuki was shifting in her seat, her heartbeat picking up as people started talking about them. Their looks, what they were assumed to be like, all first impression guesses.

'Annoying,' the silverette decided, trying to tune them out as best he could before a hand came down on his desk causing him to look up into a set of fiery amber eyes. The girl was maybe his age, maybe younger, dressed in the burnt red school skirt and black blazer with a matching red shirt and white tie. Amber eyes were framed by long sandy bangs, the rest of her hair was tied up into a ponytail. Behind her Zero noticed another girl, a much quieter presence that wouldn't lift her eyes off the floor. Her hair was short and cropped, periwinkle with a touch of rose, pale skin but not as pale as a vampire, she was busy nervously picking at the seam of her tie. A preferable aura to the girl standing in front of him but he doubted she would talk much if at all.

"Hey, you two are new, I'm Tanaka Reiko, the class president. Behind me is Wakaba Sayori, the class vice president. What are your names?" she was loud, abrasive almost, as though she assumed he was hard of hearing and her eyes rarely left his despite that she was allegedly talking to both him and Yuuki.

"Hi! Pleasure to meet you Reiko-san, I'm Cross Yuuki. That's Zero. Are you related to Sayuka-sensei?" Yuuki replied, a wide smile on her face, Zero didn't bother to address the girl himself outside of the custom nod.

"Sayuka-sensei is my mom, she makes me work hard which is why I'm class president. I also get good grades, I'm going to be at the top of my high school," Reiko boasted, Zero mentally groaned, she almost sounded like Aido. "If you need anything don't hesitate to call on me, I facilitate all our class fundraisers and decide our activity schedule. You'll get to vote on which idea is the best," she continued, still, her eyes never left, it was becoming more than just annoying. He didn't like being stared at nor did he enjoy attention-seekers. Nevertheless he let her ramble on about her accomplishments without planning on giving a response until Sayuka eventually started class. Again a few whispers started up behind him, he hadn't even noticed they stopped when Reiko started talking, or maybe they were just too quiet compared to her.

"Looks like Reiko-chan found a new one..." one spoke, he wasn't sure what that meant but there was a collective murmuring of agreement that followed the observation. Another mental sigh, he didn't have to know much about human children to know they were always involved in some type of stupid drama. Looking forward once again he caught Reiko staring, she had chosen a seat in the row in front of them, nearly diagonal from his. She smiled and blinked at him a few times before turning to face the front again. Zero felt like he could bang his head on the table out of annoyance. It was going to be a long day.

'Scratch that,' he immediately thought as another pair of eyes caught his, a boy this time, a similar look in his eyes to Reiko's but this kid held an aura that felt physically aggressive. It was going to be a long year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh it feels good to be back and done with this chapter, it felt a little slow-moving up until the end and I am struggling with some writer's block which sucks but we made it through once again. As mentioned previously, I apologize this took way longer to get out than I was intending. We finally get some other children in here, this should be fun, and yes I did decide to introduce Sayori. She likely won't be a huge factor all the time but she will play an important role down the line, as will Mr. Mystery eyes at the end there and you'll see who those belong to soon enough. I hope everyone has a good night regardless of the mess taking place, and I look forward to seeing you all again sooner rather than later. As always have a wonderful night or day or whatever time slot you're in and remember to keep writing, keep reading and live creative. Until next time! ~Len


	8. Inner Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy another chapter update! What do you think about the OC's? I know only one of them has been formally introduced (the second one is coming) but I assume you got some sort of half impression of the other as well. We know Zero isn't a huge fan of loud and egotistical beings so that should be an interesting relationship moving forward, Sayori will also appear more often from here on out and play a bigger role but her interactions so far will mostly be with Yuuki as per cannon. Other than that I hope everyone enjoys chapter 8 because it's gonna have a lot going on! Little bit of an angst warning I guess but it's really not major, just the tip of the iceberg for now. ~Len

Lunchtime was the first time during the day Zero felt like he could breathe normally, having escaped the crowd of his classmates and making his way to the rooftops he sighed at the welcome silence. There was a twinge of guilt that surfaced in his head for leaving Yuuki behind somewhere in the masses but she was keen on making new friends so he doubted she was having too much trouble. He wanted to go home, he was tired of being introduced to new classes of people and he was equally tired of hearing about each teacher's syllabus or class plan. Was it so hard just to teach without giving them the rundown of every month they were to be there? The only way he saw something such as a syllabus being useful was if he was supposed to be gone and needed to know what assignments to turn in beforehand. Even in his solitude, the noise of the rest of the school penetrated his ears, he couldn't really get away from them and as much as he wanted to he doubted Kaname would be pleased if he skipped on his first day. Another ear-piercing shriek came from the schoolyard causing him to start, taking a glance through the fence he noted some girls being chased around by two boys. He couldn't really tell if they were enjoying themselves or not, any time he heard a scream like that usually meant bloodshed was around the corner. He hadn't been around level E's or mad vampires lately but he didn't forget. Returning to the bento that had been prepared for him before they left the dorms he did his best to once again tune out the outside noise. " _Don't you ever want to go play with them?"_ his brother had once asked after witnessing Zero come back from the training grounds with their master. Other kids had offered for Zero to participate in their games after training but he always declined. " _They're going to think you're a jerk you know, they already see us as weird."_ Ichiru furthered when he had said he'd rather go home or spend the remaining time in the library. Did it make him a jerk to not want to play around in the grass or stand around waiting for something to happen? He didn't think so, he just had other priorities and no one had reprimanded him for being the way he was.

"There you are, Zero. I was wondering what happened to you." Yuuki's voice caught his attention, turning he also noticed the vice president of their class standing with her. Wakaba Sayori seemed to have very little confidence to begin with but without the class president around she at least lifted her head from the ground. Zero gave the two a nod of acknowledgment which Yuuki took to mean he didn't mind if they joined him for lunch. He supposed he didn't, Yuuki could be nieve but she wasn't insufferable to be around and Sayori didn't seem to be inclined to make conversation which he wouldn't complain about by any means. "Yori-chan was telling me about what the classes will be like tomorrow, I guess it will be a new set of teachers but we still get homeroom and lunch at the same time. They call it a and b days or a box schedule." the younger informed with a smile on her face at retaining the information she was given.

"Um, Yuuki-chan, it's actually called a _block_ schedule...not a _box_ schedule." Sayori quietly corrected. Zero snorted in amusement as Yuuki flushed.

"Y-Yori was also saying that Reiko-chan seems to like you Zero, she wouldn't stop talking about you during the first part of lunch before she was pulled off to do class president things." Zero noted the way Sayori quickly looked around, as though worried Reiko would pop out of thin air, at Yuuki's comment and frowned slightly. He knew that girl was going to be a problem.

"She's annoying," he said it more to assure Sayori he wasn't going to talk to Reiko about what she said than anything but he supposed it wasn't a bad idea to state his opinions outright so no one got confused. The quiet girl looked at him, shock and confusion apparent in her wide-eyed expression. He wasn't sure if it was because this was the first time she heard him speak or because of what he said but shrugged it off and went back to his bento. The rest of the period was spent with Yuuki and Sayori, mainly Yuuki, talking about what they thought the year was going to be like and how they were going to become the best of friends.

"And when we're all in high school you'll have to come to Cross Academy with us Yori-chan!" she continued talking about where they lived and stories of Cross Kaien as the trio returned to their homeroom class. Sayori just hummed along, smiling at whatever the younger talked about. Most of the class hadn't returned yet so Zero made his way back to his desk to stare out the window once more, his head beginning to throb as commotion picked up.

'How much longer...' he sighed to himself, there were only two classes left but they were dragging on much longer than he remembered the first half of the day going. Resting his head on his arms, squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the pain, Zero waited for the obnoxious bell to go off signaling the beginning of yet another hour-long class. Eventually, he decided he needed a break and asked their sensei if he could use the lavatory during one of their classwork periods. She hummed kindly at him before returning to her grading. Zero vaguely noted the three boys following him in the hall, it only became obvious they were following him when they too walked into the bathroom. They were also from his class but he only remembered the name of one, Nikishida Toma, he had raven blue hair and cold yellow eyes that begged someone to challenge his apparent authority. Zero recognized him as the other person that had been staring at him in the classroom, the other two boys were more average looking. One that was significantly smaller than the other two with light hazel eyes and muddy brown hair and a bulky kid with blond hair and green eyes.

"Sooo...you're the new kid." Toma began seemingly casual, leaning against the bathroom door, a wicked smirk in his eye as he looked Zero up and down. Deciding against saying anything that would escalate the situation Zero gave him a half-shrug. "Kiryuu is your name, right? I heard that other girl yapping about how you guys live at a high school." another half-shrug was given as Zero dried off his hands, he would have made to leave if the blond one hadn't stepped forward and pushed him back a bit.

"Where are _you_ going so soon? Don't you want to become friends?" he sneered at which Zero gave him a blank stare.

"No? What a shame...see if you were friends with us I would grant you some immunity around here. This school has a hierarchy system and I'm at the top with Reiko-chan, she apparently thinks fondly of you for some reason but don't let that go to your head." Toma stepped in again, getting way too close to Zero's face for any semblance of comfort. "You almost look the part, I'll give you that at least," he reached out to touch Zero's hair but the silverette stepped back caught the boy's wrist.

"Stop...don't touch me," he whispered out eventually, the trio needed to leave him alone, he could feel his control slipping. They were humans, he wasn't supposed to hurt humans, he needed out before something happened.

"What's the matter Kiiiryuu? Is it too loud for you in here? Are you seeensitive to noise?" Toma sneered, stepping forward and pushing the silverette closer against the bathroom wall as the two others snickered in the background. He shook his head, closing his eyes as another boy flicked his shoulder, then the third pushed him from the other side.

"Stop, you're going to get hurt," Zero spoke a little louder this time as his arm was pinned to the wall. He was ignored as they took turns touching or pushing him, laughing and taunting.

"What can a pale thing like _you_ do? The only thing Reiko got right about you is that you're certainly something to stare at. I might even say you're _pretty_ Kiryuu- _chan._ Are you sure you're even a boy?" the smirk on Toma's face was enough to make Zero want to fight back, show them what damage he could inflict on them. His free hand balling into a fist as his eyes narrowed. He could see each weak point on the boy in front of him, open kidneys, a punch to them would double him over followed by an elbow to the chin. Simple fighting tactics he knew better than the back of his hand.

'You have no idea. You're an oblivious, naive, and pathetic species.' the voice in his head was cold and unforgiving. The same one that spoke to him on missions, in front of level E's. Part of Zero knew he needed to suppress it, this wasn't a level E. This wasn't a life or death situation, he didn't need to hurt anyone to get out of here unharmed. He didn't hear what the bluenette said next, his mind going blank as an unfamiliar hand came in contact with his neck. He snapped. A flurry of successful strikes had the boy flying across the room until his back hit the stall door. The thud was loud enough to be heard from outside the bathroom he was sure but at this point, he didn't care.

"Toma!" one of the two remaining boys shouted out, speeding over to his hunched friend on the floor as the other turned to face Zero.

"You little bitch!" he snarled, he would have charged forward but Zero moved first. Grabbing the fist coming at him the silverette pulled the other forward until he stumbled, a solid elbow to the back sent him crashing onto the stone. Turning to the third boy, the shy follower of the other two he stalked forward, ready to attack.

" _Stop it! Please don't hurt me!"_ Ichiru's voice sounded in his head making Zero stop, the boy in front of him cowering with his hands in front of his face reminded him of his little brother who was often picked on by other hunter children for being weak. Stepping back Zero glanced around the room, the stall door was off its hinges from the impact of Toma's body, the other boy looked like he was unconscious but thankfully there was no blood. He hadn't killed them. He sighed in relief until he realized that he could have and panic began to set in, freezing the blood in his veins. It wouldn't have taken much more power for him to snuff the life out of three twelve-year-old human children. He didn't belong here. He didn't belong among humans. Backing up to the door he fled, running through the halls until he found the nearest exit. Uncaring of any voices calling after him or reprimanding him for running in the building. He needed out.

'Can I even go back to the academy like this? This will get back to Cross, what will he say? What will he do? What will Takuma and Shiki think? And Kaname...' his heart nearly stopped at the thought of the pureblood finding out. Even if he understood Zero was a hunter he wouldn't forgive him for hurting humans, Yuuki was a human after all and he cared for her safety more than anything. What if he began to see Zero as dangerous towards humans? The questions kept coming as he ran from the campus, he wasn't sure where he was going, it was evening but he ran away from the town until he reached the safety of the forest. He knew there were probably a few level E's wandering around but he couldn't bring himself to leave. Sitting against a large looming evergreen the hunter pulled his knees to his chest and covered his ears. He wasn't sure what to do now. He wanted to go home but he was scared. Both of them and of himself.

Kaname waited outside the school gates for his two little moon rays so he could take them home at last. Takuma had joined him eager to see how their young hunter had done with a full day of normal school. Part of him was worried, he felt as though there was something off but he couldn't explain why or come up with a valid reason. Chalking up to being nervous for the boy for most of the evening until he couldn't help himself and asked the pureblood if he could come along. As he expected Yuuki was buried by the crowd of students, being as small as she was it was a miracle she didn't get trampled but he could hear her voice talking to someone so he assumed she was fine and kept a search for their other child...who was nowhere to be seen. Takuma frowned, brows creasing seeing as it wasn't like Zero could hide in a crowd even if he wanted to. The only logical explanation for not being able to find him was that he wasn't there. Glancing at his leader he could tell that Kaname had apparently noticed the same thing, wine eyes sweeping the crowd of children over and over again in search. "Should we go ask a teacher or staff member?"

"Let's wait for Yuuki first, she might know." Kaname replied, Takuma wanted to protest, doubting that if something had happened to Zero she would be told about it but he held his tongue until the young brunette reached them with both hers and Zero's bag in hand. "Yuuki, where is Zero?"

"Uumm he in our second to last period, he said he was going to the bathroom but he didn't come back." she explained looking at the ground, she was supposed to keep an eye on her foster brother and she didn't. She had no idea where he was.

"He's not in the school, apparently there was some trouble with three other boys in the bathroom, they're okay but I'd like to get his side of the story when we find him." Takuma voiced, Kaname hadn't realized he had left from the car but expected nothing less from his right hand especially when it came to Zero.

"Then I think it's best we head back to Cross and get the others to help us search, we don't know where or how far he would have gone." he decided, patting Yuuki on the head and telling her not to worry as the trio got in the car and made a quiet drive back to Cross. He wanted more details on what Takuma was talking about but he wouldn't ask them with Yuuki in the car for fear she would blame herself if something did happen with the hunter. They would talk later with the other night class members present, he was sure no one wanted to be left out of what was happening.

"He beat up another student?" Kain questioned, an eyebrow raising as Takuma was briefing the group on what he was told when he began asking about the silverette's whereabouts in the school.

"Two of them, not bad enough to be overly concerned about but bad enough to render one unconscious and the other unable to fight back. Both boys have a concussion, there was a third one present in the room as well but he wasn't harmed at all. I guess Zero didn't give a reason for that either because he was just as confused. Though the kid did say he knew Zero acted out of self-defense, he attempted to leave but the other two wouldn't let him and then it turned violent. We didn't get any specifics of what was said or done to provoke it, unfortunately." Takuma sighed, he wanted to believe Zero wouldn't ever willingly hurt a human, he was likely acting on instinct but being a hunter his fight response was a concern. A vampire child wouldn't have had any issues if he didn't use magic but a human was a different story, he assumed Zero knew that.

"But they're humans he should know he needs to have more control than that even if they are deplorable." Ruka stepped in, arms crossed, clearly displeased.

"We don't know what happened in there, this is still Zero, you have to push him hard enough as is just to get him to talk in sentences. I can't imagine they were going easy on him and he's never delt with humans before." Rima argued in the boy's defense. They just didn't know what happened.

"We can get the full story once we know he is safe and stable. Right now it's best we find him, we will split up and cover both the town and the outskirts. I don't care if this takes until morning, find him." Kaname ordered before they could talk any more on the subject, he wanted Zero to be safe and he knew there was a slim chance of that in the dead of night.

'It's getting colder.' the small hunter could see his breath, he supposed it was still considered winter. He had left his jacket in school, choosing not to wear the many layers of a school uniform was now a regretful decision as he again warmed his hands against his chest. He supposed he deserved this though, he had broken the one rule all hunters regardless of status were supposed to follow. It was inexcusable and if he were a part of the association he would be punished to a much worse degree than he was getting right now. 'I'm letting myself off easy.' he grimaced to no one.

"You're cold." the voice made him jump and look up into pale grey eyes. He recognized her as the shadow vampire that followed Kaname around but barely held a noticeable presence herself. "I'm Seiren," she continued taking off her own coat and handing it out to the boy. "Kaname-sama and the others are looking for you." Zero hung his head in understanding, of course they were, he wasn't going to escape them nor was he trying to really. He didn't deserve to be with them, he was dangerous. "Are you coming?" Seiren asked, giving up on trying to give her coat to the hunter. He didn't give her a response. Unknowing of what else to do she alerted whoever was closest to her location among the inner circle for some help. She wouldn't say but she was a bit relieved it happened to be Kaname instead of Ruka.

"Zero." the alpha vampire knelt down to the boy, he resisted the urge to touch him to see how cold he was or check for any possible wounds knowing full well there wouldn't be any. 'At least not physical ones.' he reminded himself.

"I hurt them..." the rough whisper reminded Kaname of the first few weeks of living with Zero, quiet and closed off. He didn't show it but there was no doubt in the pureblood's mind that the boy was anything but emotionally stable. Deciding to take the risk the vampire picked the silverette off the ground, he felt the boy stiffen but he didn't try to fight Kaname's hold on him.

"Let's go. We can talk when we get back. Seiren, alert the others they can return as well." the brunette was to the point and didn't give much of a hint as to how much trouble he was in but as Seiren left Kaname paused in their walk and looked at him. "You had us worried Zero, it's not safe out here even for you." he sighed, tucking the boy's head under his own before they continued on in silence.

'It's not me that's not safe...' Zero thought, closing his eyes at the wind pulled at his skin and tousled his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that was quite fun, I decided to do an a/b school system since that's what I had starting in upper elementary to middle school (twelve is in that age range right? I think? Like 5th/6th grade? Forgive me if it's not, I am so bad with ages and school years and it's been a while since I myself was there) so if anyone doesn't understand that I apologize. I'm not super familiar with school systems globally. In the upcoming chapters, you will see a further shift in Zero's personality that I started here with his little "inner monster" voice and I hate to say it won't necessarily be a change for the better, again he's at that middle school-ish age and they're coined the "meanest age group" for a reason. While keeping that in mind, he won't be a huge ass but he's going to cause some trouble that probably won't be his fault most of the time. It's going to be fun to write either way, and I hope it'll be equally fun to read. We will also continue to see how the night class attempts to parent a rebellious hunter between seven of them...if that doesn't sound like chaos I don't know what does. As always thank you guys so much for being here, thank you to those that comment and review, follow and favorite my stuff I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. And of course remember to always keep writing, keep reading and live creative. Until next time! ~Len


	9. Ichiru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname questions Zero on his actions at school earlier in the evening until the session stops with one word. Ichiru. He takes it upon himself to re-open the file on the Kiryuu family murder knowing he wasn't going to like what he found. If only he knew how much hate he could harbor. But Zero forces him to make a promise, a promise he wants to keep. Unknowing the child is trying to keep his own promise he made on that night four years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Let me start by saying I'm sorry, and you'll know why by the time you get to the end of this chapter. It's been a couple of weeks and I really wanted to get this out before the holiday season really starts happening. Not that it really means I'll be super busy this year considering the pandemic but I will be working on some side stuff while I try to get closer to the end of this fic. Specifically, if you've read my VK In-Progress chapter 10, I am writing like a 2-4 chapter fluff Kaname X Zero sick fic because it's just been on my mind a lot lately due to being sick and my partner being sick so I'm thinking I might end up posting that soon. It's really cute, I'm not sure if everyone will love it as I do but this page is for taking risks so take the risk I will. Also just a quick note, I have a Discord server now dedicated to my fanfictions. Not just for Vampire Knight but for all the fics I write in my free time, ideas, fanart, just chatting, figuring out what people are reading nowadays and for what fandoms, etc. I would really like to talk to people, to you all, about what should be coming next and keep you updated regularly on how things are going. Possibly because I am socially starved but also because I feel like while PMs and comments are great there are a lot of people I can't reach when things happen such as FFnet going down or getting stupid bugs and I would like somewhere to be able to do that. No pressure of course but if that's something you are interested in I would love to have you, my server name is Let's Talk Vampire Knight or you can follow this link: htpp://discord.gg/VmM5mxrA72 again I would really love to chat with the community and this is just the easiest most accessible way I could think of doing so. That's pretty much it for now, please enjoy this chapter it might be a sad one and I will see you soon! ~Len

Because he and Kaname arrived before most of the nobles he was allowed to spend time in his room and get changed provided he come to the study when the pureblood asked. He agreed only so he wouldn't have to face the group all at once as soon as they got back, flopping down on the bed he buried his face into the pillow, anxiety swirling in his stomach made him suddenly nauseous but he squeezed his eyes shut in hopes to quell it as his door opened. He wasn't surprised to feel the familiar auras of the nobles, what did surprise him was that they didn't feel angry. Shiki was the first to approach and make himself comfortable on the bed, arms wrapping around the child and pulling him upward so Zero was laying more on him than the bed itself. Takuma sat next to Shiki, taking care to begin brushing out Zero's hair that had been tossed in the wind, Kain was the last to join, sitting in front of the bed reaching a hand out to hold onto the silverette's cold one. They didn't talk initially, choosing to allow the child to relax in their presence before anyone started asking questions. Zero didn't like to feel trapped or cornered and would often not speak or retaliate if he was. At least if he didn't feel like he was going to get hurt before they went to the study there was a better chance of getting a more cohesive story without issues. "It'll be alright, we just want to know what happened," Takuma reassured when he felt the child stiffen, Kaname's presence had moved to the study meaning they were probably going to be called on soon.

'I can't justify what I did, if he wishes to punish me I can't complain," Zero reminded himself when the dreaded time came. He made sure not to show how scared he was but allowed himself to cling onto Kain's hand as they walked into Kaname's study. Aido and Ruka were there with Rima, he didn't dare glance in their direction. Facing the pureblood he stood in front of Kain, the older's hand on his shoulder for silent reassurance.

"I'm not sure how much of what we were told is true, since we only heard the story from one perspective but I do have one question I want a straight and honest answer for," Kaname started, he was trying to keep his voice softer than usual, despite that Zero was able to meet his gaze he could tell the hunter was riddled with anxiety over what this conversation would be like. Zero had witnessed him in conversations with clients and other nobles for business having to do with the Council, to say it wasn't the friendliest display of the vampire would be an understatement. He didn't want to bully or intimidate the boy into talking. At the nod he continued, leaning back from the wooden desk. "Did anyone hit you?" he questioned, careful to take in the hunter's posture, any subtle twitches or irregular movement to indicate if he was being honest or not.

"Not...not technically," the reply was far more steady than the pureblood expected but it wasn't helpful. Raising an eyebrow the pureblood prompted him for a more in-depth explanation. Zero swallowed, eyes dipping to the ground before he continued. "Pushing and touching...aren't technically hitting," he clarified lowly.

"But they were physical. Did you fight back when they pushed you?" Kaname's eyes narrowed a bit when Zero shook his head. "When they taunted you?" another shake of the head. "Did they call you names?" a nod this time. "Did that make you angry?" another shake.

"What made you hit them, Zero?" it was Takuma this time that asked, pulling the boy's attention from the pureblood for a moment so he could relax but still give them an answer.

"He...touched me, I told them not to. I told them they were going to get hurt," voice wavering as he stared into pools of concern in front of him, he knew that sounded pathetic.

"Where did he touch you?" the blond had knelt down in front of the hunter, part of him was angry at another kid for doing anything physical to the silverette but mostly he was worried about what it would have lead to had Zero _not_ fought back when the boy hung his head and motioned to his neck.

"One last question, Zero, you didn't hurt the third boy even though he took part in bullying you. What made you stop?" Kaname stepped in again, he was curious more than anything. Again Zero averted his eyes, shoulders slumping as he stood in silence. A tangible weight entered the room, encompassing the child's aura. Takuma wanted nothing more than to pick him up and hug him protectively against his chest as he saw small pools of water begin to form and spill down porcelain cheeks.

"H-he reminded me...of Ichiru," a sleeve went up to his eyes, less to wipe the tears away than it was fabric he could cry into. That was all Takuma could take, ignoring that it could possibly be seen as offensive, he scooped the crying boy into his arms. Zero's legs automatically wrapped around him so he wouldn't fall, he didn't hush the boy but instead let him cry as he was held close.

"I think this is enough for now, Kaname," the blond addressed the pureblood, his tone tight as the sobs into his shoulder became audible. To his relief Kaname nodded, dismissing all but Seiren from the study. It didn't take a genius to figure that 'Ichiru' was a family member, likely a sibling rather than a parent, and going by the circumstances that brought on the memory they were probably younger than Zero. Kaname massaged his temples, it had only been four years since Zero's family was murdered and while the boy had adjusted well in the moon dorms he never talked about them or properly grieved.

"Seiren, find out who Ichiru was," he wasn't sure he wanted to dive into the Kiryuu family case file. He had briefly looked at it a few years ago hoping to get justice for the boy but the Chairman of the council assured him they were handling the situation and told him to focus on other more political matters in the community until they had leads. Kaname rolled his eyes, he should have known better. The pureblood responsible for the murders had long gone into hiding and the council cared little for a hunter clan being attacked, it was likely the hunters had given up as well without vampire aid. There was also the risk this would bring more emotional pain to the survivor, but he wasn't sure since he had no real clue how deep those emotional scars ran in the boy. One day he was fine, the next he wasn't but his behavior changes between those two times were subtle. Another inaudible sigh, this was going to be a struggle.

"Kaname-sama, I have retrieved the Kiryuu file and collected as many records as I could on the family members." placing a small stack of papers on the pureblood's desk Seiren bowed respectfully as she was dismissed from her task. He wanted to be alone while he read through the gruesome details.

Takuma continued to stroke Zero's hair as the child slowly calmed, unable to think of anything he could say to help so he just sat in silence providing as much physical reassurance as he could. "Is he going to make me go back?" Zero asked, having settled into numb silence. He didn't move from the fetal position he had curled into unconsciously but he was feeling okay enough to ask the question that had been riddling his mind.

"I'm not sure, part of it depends on how the school will handle the situation...but I'm sure Kaname will smooth things over. How would you feel about going back?" the older questioned, there was a possibility Zero would be suspended for a period of time or possibly have to undergo some form of academic punishment. But he was more worried about how the boy would handle the possible ridicule from other students.

"I don't like school," came the definitive answer. Takuma gave him a sympathetic smile, ruffling silver locks.

"I can't blame you, but you have a ways to go before you're done with school I'm afraid. Just do the best you can hm?" a short huff was all he got in response. Takuma pondered on a way to get the boy's mind off the incident for a moment before coming up with an idea.

"Why don't we step out for a bit, not too long since it's getting late but I think a change of scenery would do us both some good. We can bring Shiki along with us." he suggested, going to rummage through the hunter's wardrobe for some suitable clothing. Zero didn't particularly care what he wore so he allowed the nobles to choose for him if they were going somewhere. Ruka and Rima were often the most eager to dress and do his hair but Takuma had pretty good taste overall too. The only exception was the noble's fondness for romance books which Zero didn't understand the appeal of. Pulling on each article of clothing he was handed, he didn't take notice of how he looked, busy wondering what they were supposed to be doing at five o'clock in the morning. Most of the streets would be empty, the only exception being the few humans that worked early and the few vampires finally on their way home for the day. Some hunters were likely out patrolling but they always made sure not to run into them. He wasn't sure why he was supposed to avoid them, Kaname never explained so he didn't press.

"Where are we going, Takuma?" Shiki mumbled out, having been pulled from the kitchen where he was munching on snacks to quell his worries after Takuma had taken Zero from the study, by the smiling blond.

"I just thought it would be a nice night for a walk in town, you know some fresh air and a change of pace. Maybe we can stop at the tea house while we're out." he received two hums of agreement, the tea house was a favorite among the night class to visit when they ventured out of the academy. With a destination decided the trio set off from the moon dorms in higher spirits.

Kaname was a pureblood, the prince of the vampire race, his emotional walls were nearly impenetrable and his poise never faltered. At least, that's how it was supposed to go, but he couldn't help the overwhelming anger that clouded his study as he read through what little had been documented of the aftermath. The vase Yuuki had given him exploding in the background went unnoticed as he came across a picture of what was formerly the Kiryuu's living room. The pictures were low quality but the heavy dark stains that covered the otherwise light-colored room were striking. It wasn't as though they had died from a bite wound or well-placed claw to a vital organ or artery, they had been ripped apart. Shreds of blood-soaked clothing had been thrown onto the couches from what Kaname could only assume was the very beginning of the violent frenzy that would ensue. He flipped to another picture. A stark contrast to the previous one, this one had two boys with identical features staring at the camera with the same cool expression. 'Ichiru,' the pureblood figured, quickly skimming the rest of the file to find where the boys were listed. 'Born October twenty-fourth, seven twenty in the evening, Kiryuu Zero, followed by Kiryuu Ichiru born October twenty-fourth at seven-thirty,' he read before leaning back in his chair this time the sigh was audible. They weren't just brothers. Zero and Ichiru were twins. Twins were rare in both the vampire and hunter community, much less twins that survived childbirth. He had personally never met anyone that was a twin but he heard they were often extremely attached to each other. Losing someone that was literally your other half...Kaname couldn't fathom the trauma one would suffer from a loss so significant.

"Kaname-sama?" Kain knocked on the door to the study, he was curious as to what the pureblood had been doing for the past hour and a half since he dismissed the nobles. Even Seiren was downstairs meaning it was something serious. Upon approval to enter he glanced around at some of the broken pieces of objects that lay unnoticed on the ground. His eyes narrowed when the price didn't look at him, Kaname usually gave them his attention even if it was brief, instead, he continued to stare at a stack of papers.

"I'm going to kill them," shivers went up the noble's spine, maybe coming in here was the wrong decision. Swallowing dryly he waited for his superior to continue as the air in the room grew thick, suddenly feeling like the walls were closing in on him Kain reached out in desperation.

"Kaname!" Zero's shout cut through the air like a knife, pulling the pureblood out of his sinister thoughts, looking up he saw the boy kneeling by Kain with Takuma and Shiki in the doorway. As the world slowly came back into focus he noticed how trashed his study had become, a bookshelf toppled, a cracked window, he inwardly winced feeling a shard of glass from a cup he had nearby cut into his hand. Taking a silent breath he made sure to calm himself before trying to address the group before him. He wasn't surprised when the nobles stayed near the door, either ready to bolt or preparing for a fight he wasn't sure. Zero was the one that eventually approached his desk much to Takuma's silent dismay. "What happened?" he was careful, wary of the alpha vampire, but this was still Kaname.

"Zero..." the older breathed his name like a sigh of relief, allowing him to climb into his lap and inspect the healing cuts on his hand. Small arms encircled Kaname's torso when he was done. He had noticed the pictures, he could take a guess at what had the vampire angry. "Don't." the command was gentle, accompanied by the brunette's hand coaxing him away from the images.

"I know what they are, I saw," Zero informed, pain etched its way into his quiet voice.

"I want to know who did this, for our communities and for you,"

"I want justice for my parents, for my brother...but I know vampires work differently. Do you plan to kill her?" the question was asked so innocently yet weighed heavy on the vampires. Zero knew how they worked, there was no jail system or rehabilitation options like there was for hunters and humans. Once a vampire has acted against the rules, execution is the only outcome. Kaname didn't want to answer, he hoped Zero would drop the question but the boy didn't. Waiting in silence until the pureblood gave in.

"That is the way our community works," he settled on saying, unsure of what response he would get. He felt Zero nod in understanding before he pulled back and stared into Kaname's soul.

"If you have to abide by the rules, promise me you won't end up like her. Someone that kills because they have the power and the status that gives them the freedom to do so." at first Kaname was taken back, was he being compared to a ruthless murderer? But, as he was captivated by the swirl of emotions that pooled in this twelve-year-old hunter's eyes, he understood. Zero's life was taken away by a pureblood whose status and power got out of control and now their life was bound to end, he didn't want Kaname to end up with the same fate.

'Nor does he need another out of control pureblood in his life,' he figured but Zero wouldn't say that directly. "I promise." Kaname could count on one hand the number of times he had meant something so honestly, with every fiber of his being he wanted to protect this boy.

"Good." giving the vampire a soft smile he hopped off Kaname's lap and made his way back to the nobles. 'Ichiru would be upset with me if I let it happen again,' he knew his brother was gone, there was nothing he could do about that, but he couldn't help but remember holding his younger twin that night four years ago. Zero could still feel the trails of blood that warmed his hands as it soaked through the material of Ichiru's shirt. Every gasp he took. The wound wasn't large, but it had sliced through the main vein and he was bleeding out quickly. Zero knew he wasn't going to survive, even if he had called an ambulance or someone at the association it would take too long for them to get there.

_"Hey...nii-san, promise me...something?" looking up at him with eyes starting to glass over, Ichiru waited for his brother to answer. He knew there wasn't much time left, the pain was beginning to dull and his head was starting to lose hold of its ability to focus._

_"You shouldn't talk," Zero chided tightly, focused on his twin's face, he couldn't look anywhere else. The smell alone was making him dizzy and sick._

_"Promise me...promise...you won't let them hurt-" he coughed, entire body seizing mercilessly as Zero held him tighter against his chest. Liquid heat slicked his neck, spilling onto his chest. Blood. "-you won't let them hurt you," the younger finished his sentence as he struggled to gulp the dwindling air around them. He was growing cold, hands numb as he clung onto his twin._

_"I promise," Zero wasn't sure if he could keep it, but if he managed to survive the night by some shred of either luck or misfortune he would do whatever he could to keep that promise. Ichiru giggled weakly, nuzzling his nose into Zero's neck as he had done so many times before, and closed his eyes._

_"Good."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now you know why I apologized to you in my beginning a/n, I know the ending got a bit depressing there but I hope it was still okay. In this version of the VK events, Ichiru did die along with Zero's parents instead of how things went in the actual series. I originally thought about bringing him back later on for some dynamic plot stuff but clearly, that's not going to happen. I'm not planning on having him actually have a part in this story outside of flashback scenes that might be important. I have plenty of stories in the works where Ichiru plays a major role so I think I want to keep it to just Zero for this one. I posted the first chapter of a new (already finished) fic here soon called Know Your Limits, if you like more fluff romance, KanemeXZero and a side of sick fic AUs that won't make you cry then that one will be for you. It's short, (3 chapters max I'm looking at I believe) but I think it's a good break from the plot-heavy angsty stuff I've got going on and I would encourage you to check it out if you just need something a little more on the wholesome side. Thank you as always to you wonderful readers, even though I write all the time and I never get tired of it I do really appreciate hearing when you guys like my stuff too. I look forward to seeing you all soon, have a wonderful evening/day and remember to keep reading, keep writing, and live creative. Until Next Time! ~Len


	10. Colder Than Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zero is changing, for the worse, Yuuki gets the cold shoulder in the hallway and is hopeful that it won't last. Well, that wouldn't be the first thing she was wrong about and it certainly won't be the last. Three years later and the person she used to call her foster brother has the entire student body running in the opposite direction of his glare. A desperate attempt leads her to talk to Kaname, maybe he could help? And Zero is having some issues of his own when Kaien finally corners him and forces a realization on them both that he wishes he could ignore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm uploading again?! Insane right? And during Thanksgiving week no less (which I don't really celebrate but I hope enjoyed it if you do!) I've been focusing hard on this story this month thanks to NaNoWriMo and I highly doubt that dedication will last through December, apologies in advance, I plan to upload hopefully at least twice next month. If I end up with enough content after this chapter then three times. Speaking of, we've made it to the chapter 10 milestone! Yay! I don't know how many chapters I'm looking at in total yet, maybe six or seven more? That seems crazy to think but we shall see where it takes us yea? There will be a time skip in this one to progress a bit in this story and some of Zero's problematic personality traits will come to the forefront. With that being said some angst in this chapter. It will be after the time skip but it's not real heavy yet. Fifteen is a hard age and with Zero's resolve to keep out the general public things are gonna get real angsty in chapter 11, Kaname might be a bit of a jackass in here too at times but it's only because he cares I swear! In the next chapter, there will be an official trigger warning but we will chat about that when we get to it yeah? As always thank you to everyone that reads my crap and puts up with me, please enjoy this chapter!
> 
> As I've mentioned before my Discord server is alive and I'd love to see some of you over there as well, you can find the link on my profile or on the previous chapter. Thanks for reading in advance! ~Len

He was allowed back in school after a week, Kaname had smoothed things over with the headmistress and the parents of the three boys. Managing to get Zero's punishment reduced from a full quarter suspension. Zero wouldn't have minded being suspended, he didn't like school anyway and it was only going to make going back more difficult but at the pureblood's request, he would at least try to get through the year. If he truly hated it afterward Kaname agreed to let him be privately tutored in the moon dorms. As the hunter expected the rumors had begun to fly around the building, whispers from passing students, people would stare at him longer than necessary but quickly run away if he looked in their direction. He didn't know what they were saying but he didn't really care, using the collective fear of the students to ensure he would be left alone. Zero quickly found that taking a step toward a group could part them, if he stared back they would freeze on the spot or scramble to leave the area, and if he glared? That had the largest impact by far. A glare in any given direction would stop anyone within thirty feet from taking a step closer to him. He could stop both students and teachers alike from entering a hallway until he had passed. Oh yes, he would use this as an advantage, he didn't want anyone near him. 'It's for the best that they keep their distance, even if they don't like me for it.' he reminded himself as he followed Yuuki into their classroom. He didn't look at the teacher or any of the other students, instead, he busied himself staring out the window. Only Sayori, who had continued to hang around Yuuki in the week he was absent, was brave enough to talk to him.

"Welcome back, Zero-kun." she greeted politely, he gave her a nod but went back to keeping to himself soon after. As much as he wanted to keep people away, he didn't want other children to pick on Sayori or Yuuki because they associated themselves with him. At the same time, however, he couldn't be mean to either of the girls. He didn't want to hurt their feelings. Conversation around him carried on like normal after class started, to his immense relief Reiko didn't bother him except to glance in his direction every fifteen or so minutes. Toma and his friends stayed clear of anywhere Zero occupied, not that he would complain, the normally loud blue-haired idiot was silent all through class.

"I think you're scaring them..." Yuuki hesitantly commented to the silverette as she followed him to lunch, she hadn't taken much notice of the other students avoiding them until they walked empty halls that were normally crowded with kids eager to get their lunches and take a much-needed break.

"I don't care, why don't you go find Sayori?" Zero sighed, he was getting a bit irritated with the young brunette, not that she was doing anything wrong but she followed him everywhere she could. Making sure he was doing his classwork or following him closely through the halls until they reached their next period. He didn't want someone looking over his shoulder all the time, he was twelve, and far more equipped to handle himself than Yuuki would ever be.

"Where will I find you?" the question was innocent but it ground on Zero's nerves, eyes narrowing a fraction more as he continued to walk. Yuuki continued to follow, she wasn't going to stop until she got a direct answer.

"Don't worry about it, just enjoy your lunch. Leave me be." the low growl made Yuuki stop in her tracks, going so far as to take a step back from her foster brother, she was worried. Ever since he had come back to school Zero had changed. Some girls had coined him as scary, she didn't want to see that, she didn't want to believe it but maybe she was wrong. Against her better judgment, she reached out and took a hold of the older's sleeve only for him to forcibly rip it from her grasp. "I _said_ leave me alone." he hissed this time though he continued to refuse to look back at her. Yuuki swallowed, tears quickly welling in innocent chocolate-brown eyes, but she didn't say anything more. Letting him walk away to disappear somewhere down the hall.

'Zero...what's going on? What changed?' she whimpered to herself, unable to move from where she stood. She felt like she was frozen in place. She didn't understand what was happening, Zero had always preferred to keep to himself but he never forced people away from him.

"It'll be okay Yuuki, he'll come around again, I'm sure Zero-kun is just having a hard time right now." Sayori comforted her friend when Yuuki broke down in front of her at lunch.

"I hope you're right..." miserably the two spent the rest of the day keeping to themselves.

Days turned into weeks, months, and years until eventually Yuuki couldn't recognize the person that stood across from her on the campus of Cross Academy. Three years had passed since Zero left her standing alone in the hallway, Kaname had pulled him from the school after that year so she hardly saw him except in passing or when Kaien invited them over. Zero was always quiet, he talked to the nobles but never to her and rarely to Kaien. They were to be the Perfects for Cross Academy, a specific thankless job that involved keeping the day class oblivious of the night class's secret. The fangirls were loud, hard to control, and rarely listened to a thing she said but they shaped up as soon as Zero came around. An icy glare in their general direction kept anyone from saying a thing or stepping over the lines. Zero had begrudgingly agreed to spend part-time in the day class to complete his classes so they could complete all their special tasks in the evening. Then he would return to the moon dorms after patrols, often without even speaking to Yuuki unless it was to chastise her for not being strict enough with the fans. Biting her lip a little more than necessary she watched as her former foster brother glared away everyone in their class, sitting by himself near the window was how he preferred it. Zero managed to get top grades in the day class though she had no clue how since he didn't pay attention, talked back if he was called on, and often just didn't show up. Students and staff alike were scared of him. This evening Zero was meeting with someone, Kaien had requested his time and asked Yuuki to take on crossover with Sayori instead. She agreed seeing as this may be the one time she could ask Kaname about it, she doubted the pureblood knew the extent of what Zero's reputation had become and hoped he could talk to the silverette. "Yuuki, how are you this evening? And where is Zero?" Kaname asked, a ghost of a smile on his face as he ignored the fangirls screaming around them.

"Ah, I...well, I could be better. Zero is in a meeting with someone, Headmaster Cross asked Yori and me to take over tonight. Which, speaking of, Kaname-sama can I talk to you...um privately? It's about Zero..." she trailed off suddenly nervous as she noticed the entirety of the night class had their attention on her.

"Of course, come to our classroom when you've finished patrols, we can talk then. Have a good evening, Yuuki," he nodded as the group continued to walk to class. Yuuki let out the breath she was holding, getting a supportive nod from her friend before the two attempted to corral the fans back to their dorms.

"Do you think something happened? Zero has been a bit more...reclusive lately but I thought it was likely because he was tired. He's certainly not on the best schedule..." worry clouded Rima's normal monotone as the group waited for Yuuki. They had noticed the difference, most of them were subtle but it was clear Zero was changing, they just didn't know why.

Zero sat across the table from the former legendary hunter, he wasn't sure what he was doing there but the silent stare was starting to grate on his nerves. "What do you want, Cross?" he ground out eventually, already tense, he didn't know what he should be preparing for. As childish as the man was he could be less emotional than Kaname when he wanted.

"I was curious, I haven't seen you for quite some time and I thought I would check-in. How are you feeling lately?" the question caught him off guard, sure he was used to it from Takuma, Shiki, and sometimes Ruka would check in but not Cross. This was abnormal behavior and it was unnerving.

"I'm fine, if that's all you wanted to ask you should have waited until after Crossover at least," he criticized. 'What are you planning?' the silverette wondered, studying the man with an unwavering focus. His heartbeat was steady, his hands didn't twitch, he was still except for the pulse in his veins. It rang in his ears, a river that curved around every muscle, caressed each organ. His lifeline. Zero swallowed, gripping the chair's arm a little harder than necessary. 'Stop it!' he screamed at himself. He had begun to hear these things far more clearly in the last two years, people passing by became a roar of noise he couldn't pinpoint.

"Are you..." Kaien stood, he had his suspicions for a while but never spoke out about them, it was clear the hunter was struggling. Mentally fighting against an urge, a battle he wouldn't win. As he approached Zero's eyes followed every hint of movement, reaching out to touch the silverette his hand was suddenly stopped by a firm grip on his wrist.

"Don't...stop moving." the demand sounded more choked than usual.

"You can hear it, can't you, do you understand what this is Zero? What you're going through?" he pressed, moving closer as Zero shifted, trying to keep him at a distance.

"Stop it. Stop! Shut _up_!" the teen shot up from the chair letting it topple to the floor as he backed himself up to the wall covering his ears. Kaien didn't step closer, a swirl of sympathetic pity was all he gave away. "Don't...don't come closer, please." he couldn't keep out the fear, his body quaking as he begged. Kaien remained where he stood, only able to watch the scene before him. Zero eventually regained some control, pulling his hands away from his ears, he didn't waste any more time in the suffocating room. He bolted. Leaving Kaien to watch after him.

'I'm sorry Zero...' the man sighed picking up the chair from the ground he regretfully shuffled through an old stack of papers until an old phone number came into view. Was this the right decision? Thumbing over the paper, it had once been a receipt for a dinner with an old friend, his number sloppily scrawled on the back. Telling him to call when he needed it. The phone rang twice before a grunt answered the other line.

"Who is it and what the hell do you want?" the man snapped, the familiar sound of a cigarette lighting in the background made Cross grimace a bit. Some things never changed. Taking a breath he made up his mind.

"Touga, it's Kaien. I need to talk with you about something that happened seven years ago." silence stretched for what felt like an eternity before there was an exhale.

"That leech bit him," it was a statement, one that Kaien didn't want to believe. Before he could say anything there was a dry snort. "I'm on my way." the line went dead as Cross slid to the ground. Composure giving way to the well of tears he had been holding.

Shiki had been able to convince the young hunter to join them in Kaname's study, a place Zero was slowly learning to despise as nothing good came from the discussions that had taken place there so far. Kaname was running through an apparent list of things Yuuki had noticed that she was concerned about. To say the vampire wasn't pleased at what he was told would be generous but Zero was getting annoyed by this so-called concern. 'Besides, once they find out...' his mind trailed as he tuned out part of the lecture. It hadn't been the first one and some miracle would need to take place for it to be the last.

"Are you listening, Zero?" Kaname stopped his own speech when it became apparent the teen's attention had wavered. Zero's eyes refocused on him for a moment before they found the floor.

"It's not concerning, I just don't like being around people..." he eventually mumbled out with a shrug, truly he didn't think it was a big deal. He was keeping them safe by keeping them away. He would need to do the same with the vampires if he was smart. Of course, that was easier said than done. But he was tired of this, first Cross now the night class? He just wanted to go to bed, shut out the world for a while, pretend things were okay. The longer he stayed the more likely it was someone would notice.

"What Yuuki said was concerning, Zero, we've been over this. You can't push people away all the time. Humans don't understand-" Takuma was cut off by the sound of magic cracking through the air, it wasn't much but enough to get the blond to stop talking and really look at the boy. Hand clenched into a fist and eyes searing the floor before him was almost enough to look over the small trembles of his frame.

"I don't care, I don't want to be around humans. I'm better off learning on my own anyway, that's how it always was," he argued, not daring to look up at the unhappy pureblood. He could feel Kaname's unwavering stare of disapproval, he didn't need to see it.

"Things are not how it was, you know that and you are well aware of the impact you have. If you believe I am going to sit here and take your tantrums you are sorely mistaken Kiryuu Zero." his tone tight, border lining anger, the vampire's eyes narrowed as magic once again sparked around the room in larger volumes this time.

"You don't have to, you're not my father nor are you my technical guardian! And if you didn't want to "take me" then you should've dropped me back at the fucking association!" the child ground out, eyes shooting up to Kaname with an unrivaled fire the pureblood had never seen before.

"Watch your language. If you believe the association would have taken care of you, you're dumber than I originally thought. Do you truly believe they would have let you live all this time?" he growled, standing to loom over the hunter. Zero was fifteen and still quite a bit shorter than him though he doubted that was going to last, he knew he was an intimidating force and would use that when necessary. He didn't expect the fire to burn larger, as though he just doused it in kerosene. Zero snapped.

"I didn't _ask_ to be taken care of. I didn't ask to _live_! And if going through this is what that means then I don't fucking want to!" he screamed at the prince. Kaname was so taken back he didn't stop the boy from turning and storming from the study, the nobles unable to chase after him due to a wall of magic that surrounded him. The door slammed shut, one of the hinges breaking off from the sheer force before the dorms went silent. An unfamiliar chill spread throughout Kaname's very soul, what had he done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I know I had fun writing it. Please forgive me for some of the transitions I am well aware they didn't all go as planned but I had several ideas for them and I did my best with what I thought sounded good. I did decide to turn Zero into a vampire, mostly because I think it adds a lot to these stories and we'll get to see how that progresses with time in the night class although I moved it up a year from the canon timeline. From here on out Touga will be involved so that'll be fun! As you've probably seen I uploaded the first chapter of another fic Know Your Limits (the second one is coming soon) but it's once again that time where I'm getting kinda close to the climax of this story so I've been wondering what I should begin posting next. As always I can continue to check off stories on my VK In-Progress series with your help since they're already started and they're quite literally endless, but I've also been thinking maybe it's time I expand to other fandoms more seriously? I have DGM, Yuri! On Ice, OHHC, Free!, and some other lesser-known/liked fandoms in the 'vault' if you will and I'm always looking to add more so if you have a current anime/manga obsession feel free to drop a comment and let me know. No clue what I'll end up going with at the end of the day but I hope to see you all at the next one! As always I hope you have a wonderful night/day and remember to keep writing, keep reading, and live creative. Until next time! ~Len


	11. Turned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick recap since it's been a while: Zero and Kaname had an argument over his concerning behavior in the day class which was brought to the night class' attention via Yuuki. A little before that Kaien forces Zero into a tough position which leaves him unsure of how to go about dealing with the fact that he is indeed a vampire that is doomed to fall to a level E. Lastly, we finally get to throw a very unhappy Touga into the mix, oh boy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello wonderful people! I know this is coming out a little later than I originally planned, truth is I got caught up in a few other pieces from the VK In Progress series and I got really invested in them so this fic took a bit of a backseat but I'm on it again so here we go! In case this wasn't clear from the previous chapter, Zero is still a vampire, I decided to keep it because I thought it would make the dynamics more interesting. I also talked about a formal trigger warning from the last chapter and that still reigns true! So! Trigger warning! This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence, suicidal actions, and lots of angst! If those things don't sit well with you then please keep yourself safe and either don't read those sections (they will be marked) or you can skip this chapter and I will give a general recap at the beginning of chapter 12 to catch you up. I don't know if I will be able to get out chapter 12 before the end of December, I will do my best to try I promise but holidays are a big deal with both of my families and I will be doing a fair amount of traveling to spend time with them. But, as I said, I will do my best to get out chapter 12 fairly soon after this one since I do leave you off on a cliffhanger (sorry). If you haven't kept up with the VK In-Progress series there are some new fun ones I have in my works that I've been thinking about posting so you might want to check out the last three chapters and let me know which ones you'd like to see. As always thank you so much for reading, I appreciate all of you that are leaving comments, following, or just giving this thing a hit and I hope you enjoy!~Len

Initially he decided it was best to let a few days pass before he approached the hunter again, partly because he wasn't sure how to talk to him but also because he wasn't ready to get yelled at again. Zero had taken to actively avoiding him after their argument and refused to answer if he was called on by the pureblood. Now it was going on day three and Kaname was becoming worried, logically he knew there had to be a source of Zero's anger and he needed to find it quickly before someone got hurt. So here he was, outside his door, hoping this would go better than he assumed it would. Two knocks were all the warning he gave before entering the room, Zero was home for the night but refused to come out of his room. Kaname wasn't surprised to find him curled in bed, facing away from the door, staring blankly at the wall. "Zero," he started but realized he didn't know what to say next. The boy didn't turn to face him but he curled up a little tighter, was he angry? Afraid? Either possibility made Kaname's heart lurch. Opting for a more physical approach he closed the door gently behind him and gently padded over to the boy's bed. Sitting on the opposite side so they didn't touch he sighed audibly this time. "You don't have to speak, but I want you to listen." there was no response so he took that as an okay to continue. "The night class took you in because we were asked to and initially I didn't want to outside of the fact that I thought Yuuki would be in danger by having you in Cross' home. I realize that was an incorrect way of thinking, I want to protect both of you as much as possible but I can't do that if you don't let me. Do you understand, Zero?" he wasn't sure when but at some point, the younger had scooted closer to him but he still didn't speak. Kaname wasn't sure he was getting through to him as much as he wanted. Silence stretched between the two, Kaname had said all he needed to so he supposed it was best to leave but Zero spoke before he began to stand up.

"Protection should go to more than just us," it sounded like a quote or even a mantra to Kaname, likely one Zero had heard many times. "My parents taught me to protect those around me...I don't want to hurt anyone. Not again." he mumbled, Kaname smiled a bit at the confession. He may be a strong hunter but at times the pureblood wondered if Zero truly wanted to be in such a role. The boy had a soft heart when it came to others, the more time he spent watching the fifteen-year-old the more he realized how much he didn't want to step on toes or hurt others on purpose. He figured it was from being an older brother and losing Ichiru in such a way likely made him feel as though he was subjecting others to the same painful fate. Slipping his shoes off he lay on the bed next to the younger, running a hand through his hair as he had seen Takuma and the others do many times.

"You won't, I trust your ability and so does everyone else here. You are not a danger to us, we can talk to Cross about making some arrangements so you don't have to spend as much time in the day class. And...if you think it is necessary or it would make you feel better, there is a possibility we can get you some proper training." he wanted Zero to feel safe, not just with them but with himself, it was not easy being a hunter of his caliber at this age without a mentor and Kaname felt partially responsible for that. One could not trust themselves if they felt like they were going to kill others by accident. Weaker beings such as humans weren't targets but they were fragile and could get hurt easily even with only a fraction of power from a vampire or skilled hunter. The situation at the elementary school was enough of a shock to the child that he became warier of humans than he was beforehand. Knowing he could damage them just as easily as a level E was a hard burden to carry. The nod he received was enough of a confirmation that Kaname had assumed correctly about the reason for Zero's odd behavior and he hoped he put the younger at ease for now. However, now he had the task of finding Zero a mentor that was willing, one that he and the nobles approved of, and wasn't going to be a threat to him. Not the easiest task he had ever given himself but if it was for Zero he would do it.

"Is this really a good idea?" the question hung, frustration and exasperation clearly evident in Takuma's eyes as he addressed the pureblood again. They were all tired, the conversation about Zero getting mentored having gone on for the last two and a half hours already. They were exploring every 'what if' situation that could occur and the more they did so the more worried the nobles were becoming. Kaname himself was unsure if this was a good idea or not, there were too many scenarios with less than favorable outcomes but again he remembered the conversation he had with the young hunter. He couldn't deny Zero and this ultimately wasn't about the vampires at all.

"Yes, I believe it is our only option moving forward, he is a hunter and we can't ignore his wishes to be trained as such." he answered, he knew it wouldn't please everyone in the room but the choice was hardly theirs. Looking over the files Seiren had gathered of the active elite hunters he rested on that of Yagari Touga, he had been Zero's mentor once before and a former family friend of the Kiryuus which was comforting but the man was less than favorable to interact with. Not one he would want to meet on a bad day, vampire or not. There was a possibility he would resent the boy, there was a possibility he would refuse in order to protect his status among the association elites. 'On the other hand...he is the most qualified for this job, if he agrees Zero would be in safe hands.' Kaname sighed, head connecting with the back of his chair for a few moments. "Call Cross, if we are going to do this with him we are going to need a third party to mediate the conversation," he ordered someone, he wasn't even sure who, he had a headache and wanted this to be over. Dismissing the rest of the nobles with a vague hand gesture he stood and made his way downstairs, a glass of merlot sounded divine right now.

Cross arrived at their door the following Friday evening while Zero was out on patrol with Yuuki, he wasn't sure if it was fate-planned coincidence or luck that the pureblood wanted to speak to him about Zero's future. On the other hand, the third party that was due to arrive was not going to make this conversation an easy or joyful one. He would at least try to stay optimistic, it was no secret that Touga cared for both the Kiryuu boys when they were children, he hoped that hadn't gone away after so many years. "Kaien-san it's good to see you, thank you for coming." Takuma greeted him at the door as per usual but Kaien could see he was muted compared to normal, stress and worry clearly taking their toll.

"Thank you, Takuma-kun, I assume Touga will be here soon..." he mentally winced at the way the blond's eyes darkened at the mention of the elite hunter but he immediately brushed it off and gave the headmaster a tight smile before directing him to the pureblood's office. The others were waiting already, various displeased looks all around save for Kaname himself who remained as emotionless as possible while they greeted each other.

"Before Yagari-san gets here, I believe it's best we go over some of the details as to why this is happening outside of the obvious," he began once the ex-hunter had taken a seat. "This is not something I would necessarily approve of, however, it was at Zero's request that he be trained formally and I can't ignore that considering his background." continuing quickly, he gauged Cross' reaction to the information he had received from Yuuki concerning Zero's behavior within the day class. Cross didn't seem surprised, nor could Kaname say he was concerned about it which was curious but not necessarily alarming.

"Zero has always been cautious, as you know part of it is due to his former home life, normal humans were not to be interacted with if it could be avoided is my understanding. I would argue that many hunters follow this rule in order to keep the general public safer, or at least that is the theory." Kaien informed once the pureblood was finished. "I'm afraid Touga will not aid much in changing that, but he is the most able hunter to teach someone of Zero's skill level. Even if his methods are less than desirable at times. If training is what is needed to put him at ease then I agree this is the best option, but Kaname-kun I do not believe it will solve all of the issues." he added, it was apparent the vampires were not entirely aware of the underlying issues Zero was having but he wasn't sure if he should be the one to break it to them. It was possible it could cause far more damage. Kaname opened his mouth to ask what exactly that meant but the door was pushed open by a very displeased Yagari Touga.

' _Christ_ ,' Shiki barely kept himself from shrinking behind Takuma at the window when the man walked in. If he thought the man was intimidating on a piece of paper he may as well have walked out of a nightmare in person. Long jet-black hair cascaded down his back, half his face was covered by an eyepatch while the other was illuminated only around the narrowed silver eye that dared anyone to challenge his authority. He made no effort to conceal the long shotgun he carried at his side, whether you saw it or not wouldn't matter if he decided to kill you. His coat emphasized broad, toned shoulders and Shiki assumed if it wasn't there the man's muscle mass would be obvious under his shirt. The most alarming part of the man however wasn't what they could see, it was what they could feel. Raw power level is not normally apparent when you come in contact with a hunter, only those with the capabilities or the born-gift of magic could make it known without the aid of a weapon or charms. Shiki wasn't sure which one Touga was but if his normal magic presence could make the ground vibrate and windows rattle he didn't want to know what the man was capable of when he was trying to be intimidating. ' _This_ was our best option to send Zero with?' he would have paled, if that was possible, at the idea of Zero being anything close to this man. The only ones that didn't seem to be affected by his aura were Cross and Kaname, the latter however was preparing for a challenge from him.

"Touga! I didn't expect you to get here so soon! Welcome, welcome! It's been quite a while since I've seen you." Cross started in order to break the tension-filled silence, all but bouncing out of his chair to meet the stoic elite.

"Why am I _here,_ Cross," his voice dark, rough, sent shivers up Aido's spine. Touga's eye never left the pureblood in front of him nor did he take a seat even after Kaien had gestured for him to.

"Well, as I briefly mentioned, we wanted to talk about Zero-kun. He's fifteen and while his skills have always been apparent he asked Kaname-kun for some formal training, obviously, vampires can't provide that and you were the last one to work with him so..." the blond trailed, he truly wasn't sure what kind of reaction he should be expecting, Touga had always been a bit rougher than most elites.

"Where is the brat." he demanded, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter much to Kaien's displeasure. Some habits apparently never changed. He held his tongue, this time, they still needed his agreement to train Zero first.

"He's on patrol with Yuuki-chan right now, though he should be done in about twenty minutes." Kaien frowned when the elite loaded and cocked his gun, unsure of what he was going to do. Attempting to guess what Touga was thinking was out of his ability range he had long learned. He lit his cigarette, putting the rest back in his pocket, and slung the gun over his shoulder. Finger already on the trigger prompting even Cross to move out of the way.

"You let him live with a bunch of leeches for seven years and expect he can jump back into hunter training?" he scoffed but continued before there was protest about his language toward the vampires. "If he survives, he is trainable." was all the man gave while walking out, uncaring of the shocked expressions he was leaving behind. Kaname was prepared to go after him, eyes blazing that the man _dared_ put Zero in danger, however, he was stopped by Cross before he could get to the door.

"Wait, Kaname-kun, as much as I hate to say it you have to trust his process. Zero will be alright, I can assure you that if Touga believed there was no chance he wouldn't be here. He also knows Zero's abilities far better than the rest of us. Please, sit, we just have to wait this out." internally he was praying he was right, it was not usual for the Kiryuu family to trust outsiders, Touga was the once exception so he would need to trust him just the same. Kaname didn't look like he believed him but eventually nodded in defeat. He couldn't help that his heart rate picked up when he felt hunter magic accumulate at the far end of campus.

***Trigger warning applies from here on out***

Zero numbly walked along the forest's edge, he knew there weren't any humans out which he was thankful for but at the same time, it made walking around kind of pointless. With a sigh he stopped leaning against a dying sakura he stared blankly into the night sky. The moon was beautiful, it was all around a nice evening, his hand absently brushed against the cold metal of Bloody Rose leading him to wonder again what he should do. He was bitten, he was going to turn into a vampire...well, no, he was going to turn into a level E to be exact. And then? He would likely be executed just like other fallen humans or hunters. 'What goes through your head before you die?' he wondered, it wasn't the first time he had thought about it. Since he was going to die he didn't feel like it was abnormal to wonder such things. Would he feel it? He had shot vampires before, some of them screamed but others didn't. Which one would he be? How much pain would he go through if any? Closing his eyes he remembered a scene that still haunted him from time to time. He was seven at the time, accompanying his father and former master on a hunt. They were tracking a level E and ended up outside of town, when the chase ended he remembered staring into the face of a boy. Older than him by at least six years. Hair muddy, thin, shaking, he was so scared of them.

 _"Just kill me, please, just kill me! I can't, I can't! Kill me!"_ _he became hysterical, clawing at his neck until he cut through his skin. Trails of blood trickled from his throat as he screamed at them. Over and over he repeated the same thing. Zero's breath caught, he expected a level E to be insane, unable to hold a conversation or think clearly. Unaware of what they were doing. But this boy, he wasn't wrapped up in the insanity of blood lust. He was just_ suffering.

'Is that what I'm going to end up as?' Zero asked himself, he didn't have the answer. His heart pounded in his ears, breath tightening in his chest until he felt like it was choking him. Was he scared? Scared of dying? No, death wasn't scary. He had seen death. He was scared of what was to become of him before he died. That was more accurate.

 _"Please!"_ the voice of the boy morphed into his own cry, the scene had changed, he was standing in front of a woman with his arms out as his master pointed a gun in her direction. He knew her, she couldn't be a vampire, she couldn't hurt them.

_"That's not a human anymore brat, get out of the way." his master's voice was commanding but there was something abnormal in it. Sorrow. He was hurting. At the time he couldn't comprehend what was happening, as if the world was moving in slow motion he barely felt Touga pull him into his chest, the woman had lunged at him from behind. He turned just enough to see her claws rake through his master's face as the gun went off. Before she was turned to dust Zero saw her smile, the honest land kind one he was always used to._

_"Thank you,"_ _she whispered as her body gave way to ash. She was relieved that she wasn't a danger anymore._

'Does death provide that much relief?' he was confused, he didn't think about it much before but then again he wasn't facing an inevitable end back then. He was able to forget about his actions. And now? What was the next course of action he was supposed to take? If he took his own life was that better than letting someone else do it? 'Can I do it?' he wasn't sure, staring at the gun he had put his life in the hands of countless times he felt a sense of weird comfort. He would feel better if she was the one to kill him. He didn't even need to replace her bullets in order to shoot himself. Unlatching the safety feature, he caressed her soft metal barrel. It was a bit awkward to point a gun at yourself, his hand wasn't used to twisting this way but eventually, he found a good hold. 'Deep breath,' he reminded himself. Just like the first time he learned how to shoot a gun, it was his father's pistol that he had taken an immediate interest in. The familiar click sounded in his ears, she was ready, so was he. He fired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this chapter was fun, a little on the heavy side but I think it balances well. I had a lot of lovely fluff in the first 9 chapters so it's time to really get into the pain and agony that I love to bring onto these characters time and time again. As always, thank you so much to everyone reading, I really appreciate it, if you weren't able to read the end of this chapter because of triggers I apologize but I will catch you up with a brief and not as brutal summary at the beginning of chapter 12. Other than that it's time I start thinking about how I want to wrap this up, do we want relationships? Do we want to keep it as a family fic? I know I've asked this before but that was in the beginning when I feel like I didn't have a real plan so I wanted to check in and see what you all think now that we're a bit deeper into the story and you've been able to see the relationships play out. Please let me know in the comments, feel free to chat with me! I love hearing what you have to say. As always, have a wonderful night/day or whatever time zone you're in, and remember to keep writing, keep reading, and live creative. Until Next Time! ~Len


	12. Touga

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I return!! I really wanted to get this out so much sooner since I felt like it would be a nice gift for you all but of course life and delays got in the way so I'm uploading it now. I am so sorry it has taken me this long. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, whichever ones you celebrate and if you don't celebrate I hope you enjoyed a cozy long weekend. So! If you were unable to read the last portion of chapter 11, the non-in-depth synopsis is as follows: Touga was called to the school by Cross in order to both assess and later train Zero as per his wishes that were expressed to Kaname. There were a series of flashbacks from Zero's various different encounters with ex-human level E's in which they were either extremely pained by becoming a level E and or scared of becoming a monster. In various images of these encounters, the level E's expressed immense relief in being killed since they were no longer a threat to those around them and hence Zero begins to wonder if he will get the same relief if he kills himself and therefore attempts to do so, unaware of his former master's arrival at the academy. Following that attempt is where this chapter begins. Hope that helped some and please enjoy chapter 12!~Len

The burning pain in his hand caused him to drop Rose as the trigger was pulled, the bullet grazing past his created a small burn before burying itself in the tree behind him. His neck bled from the wound but that was nothing compared to the damage done to his hand. A large gash ran from his pinky diagonal to his wrist, burns singed the edge of his pale skin. He was in so much shock he forgot about the pain. "Try it again and I'll aim higher," the familiar bark came from off to his left making him wince.

"Sensei..." he gasped out as the man came into view. His master, adorned in the same trench jacket and leather shoes stalked closer, he felt his unharmed wrist grabbed as he was pulled off the tree. Forcing himself to look up into an eye he hadn't seen in seven years a sudden wave of shame encased him. Touga never allowed him to shy away from things that scared him. Yet here he was trying to do just that in the worst way possible. Zero didn't know what to say, was he supposed to apologize? Thank him? He doubted Touga would accept either of those responses.

"Your mother would roll in her grave if she saw that," he grouched before the young hunter could say anything, Zero cringed at the idea, Touga was right. If his mother was present...honestly Zero didn't really want to know what she would have done. "Tell me, boy, have you fallen already?" the small hunter shook his head. He hadn't fallen, he had only just begun to feel the increase in his senses, he didn't crave blood so much he needed it, he wasn't mad. He realized, like a switch, he had the control he needed to beat the odds. He wasn't a level E. He wasn't going to become a level E. He was a hunter before he was a vampire, a hunter that came from a strong bloodline, he was stronger than this.

"I'm not going to give in, I'm not a level E," he told the one-eyed man, fiery determination glowing in his eyes. Touga gave him a nod of approval, backing up a significant distance before he raised his gun once more and aimed, this time Zero was ready.

"Dodge." came the command as the trigger was pulled, Zero whipped to the left then to the right as another shot was fired. He could see the bullet's path, he knew their speed but anticipation was key, with each shot he picked up his speed hurtling towards the older elite. He couldn't dodge point-blank range, he needed to block. With narrowed eyes as the bullet discharged from the barrel Zero's hand went up, a wall of magic suspended the projectile less than a foot from his chest. With a nod of approval Touga put the gun down, Zero snapped his fingers and the piece of metal dropped to his feet. "As of right now you are officially reinstated as my apprentice, don't expect me to go easy on you, I know what you can do. Now it's time to push your limits. Do you understand brat?"

"Hai, Sensei," he couldn't help but feel excited to be back in training, he wanted to be able to do more, he wanted to learn more, to be better than his parents were. He would need to thank Kaname for allowing him to train again, it was not an easy decision for a vampire, much less seven of them, he was very grateful they trusted him to better himself this way. 'I won't disappoint them,' he promised to himself, cleaning his hand and neck of the remaining blood he had forgotten about the wounds. They were nearly healed anyway, by the time the two hunters got back to Kaname they wouldn't be noticeable.

Kaname could barely keep himself still, hearing the gunshots ring out made him want to dash to Zero's side. They couldn't smell blood but that didn't necessarily mean there wasn't any. Zero had shown them charms he knew to suppress the smell of blood even from powerful vampires, it was for safety so they wouldn't be hunted down after hard battles or if they were wounded but Zero would use them if he got hurt and didn't wish to bother anyone about it. A fleeting memory crossed Kaname's mind of the child accidentally cutting himself when distracted in the kitchen, he hadn't told the vampires about it and made sure they wouldn't know but ended up going to the infirmary when he was worried it wasn't healing fast enough so Kaname was notified regardless. He wasn't mad at the boy, but it was worrisome and expressed that Zero needed to come to him if he were to get injured. Ever since then the pureblood worried the boy was hiding things from him because he saw himself as a burden. Resisting the urge to bite his lip, really when did he become so worried about the child? Kaname did his best to focus on anything but the worst-case scenario, if he thought the boy was fatally wounded the nobles were sure to follow. "He will be alright," someone, Cross he assumed, spoke into the silence in an effort to once again assure the night class.

"He better be." Kaname heard Aido hiss lowly, he would have reprimanded the blond but he felt the same. If Zero was badly wounded he would gladly challenge the hunter regardless of the man's reputation or skill. Cross was about to respond when the two hunters returned to the moon dorms, as the door to the study opened Zero was pulled off to the side by Takuma to check for any lasting wounds. Kaname's eyes narrowed at the clear streaks of crimson that stood out against his pearl-colored skin but a nod from Takuma meant he was not injured. Even Cross couldn't help the sigh of relief that his adopted son hadn't suffered anything terrible.

"Training starts tomorrow at dusk, be ready." the command was directed at the silver-haired boy but Touga's eye never left the alpha vampire, when he got agreement from the young hunter he turned and left. Cross was soon to follow muttering something about brutish hunters leaving Zero and the night class once again.

"Your master, is he always like that?" Takuma asked, feeling his heart finally return to its normal rhythm.

"He is now...he didn't use to be. I don't think he likes being a solitary hunter but hunters don't replace their partners after death and even if they did he wouldn't allow anyone to take my father's place." Zero replied after a few moments of thought. Sensei had always been a bit rough around the edges but it was clear to Zero that the death of his father and Touga's best friend had changed the man.

"I see, I didn't know he was that close with your family," the blond mumbled, although the elite hunter was still someone to be wary of he did sympathize with the man. Zero hummed, in distant thought as he joined the pureblood at his desk allowing the vampire to look him over and make sure he was unharmed.

The night class quickly learned that while Zero did study for school, the effort he put into academics was nothing compared to the amount of energy he put into training. Not only the physical portion but every moment of rest was spent memorizing charms, practicing magic, learning lore, it seemed every waking hour revolved around nothing but excelling as a hunter. Kaname was concerned that the boy was working a little too hard, he would often return to the moon dorms so exhausted he fell asleep on the couch or in the library. He didn't spend as much time in the dorms due to being at the dojo or at the range, school came as a second thought. Cross expressed his concern once about the amount of classes Zero was skipping but was quickly shut down by Touga commenting that if Zero wished to excel as a hunter he needed to make up for all the years he lost and school was hardly a challenge. He would tutor the young hunter himself once they finished their sessions and make sure his assignments were up to expectations. He didn't need a classroom lecture to learn. Kaname was a little more worried about the boy's social life than he was about academics, as the weeks continued to roll he noted that Zero never talked to anyone in the day class including Yuuki and Sayori. He preferred to stick close to Touga and only took a day off when he was told to do so, those days he would spend either in his room reading or sleeping off the amount of strain he had put on his body the previous week. The vampire prince wasn't the only one worried, the nobles were hardly comfortable adjusting to this new routine. "This can't be normal..." Shiki huffed quietly as he supported most of Zero's weight while Rima ran a comb through the sleeping boy's hair. It had been a hard session apparently, the young hunter only managed to take off his shoes and jacket before falling asleep on the couch in the entryway. His hair disheveled, clothes wrinkled, and no sign of his consciousness returning any time soon the noble was prompted to carry him at least to the main room. Takuma had fetched a blanket as Zero shifted in his sleep to lean against the apathetic vampire while Rima took to cleaning up his appearance as best she could.

"We have nothing to compare it to, though I have read that Yagari-san's students become excelling hunters within a short amount of the normal training time. I would assume the reason is because of how hard they train. However, Yagari-san isn't entirely at fault here, Zero pushes himself more than anyone else." Kain pointed out, not that he faulted the boy either, it was obvious he was trying to prove something with how hard he worked. They just didn't know what that was or why. He assumed that until they knew those two things any conversation with Zero about slowing down would be next to pointless.

"If Yagari-san believed Zero was pushing himself too much he would say something and Zero would listen. I hate to say it but it is clear Zero has a very deep respect for him." Ruka frowned, she didn't like the taste those words left in her mouth. She knew Zero wasn't 'theirs' even though they had fostered him since he was eight, he was his own being and not afraid to say as much. And yet, the idea of him leaving to join the hunters was becoming very real, it was scary to think about. Digging her nails into her palms and keeping her jaw clenched was often the only way she could stop herself from refusing to let the beautiful boy walk outside every evening. 'Is this what a parent feels like? A normal parent that cares for their children?' she had to wonder if this gut-wrenching feeling was normal or not. Was she too attached to the silver-haired boy? Yes. She and everyone else in the room if her observations said anything about the current collective feelings of her peers.

"It is not our place to step in right now, when Zero wants to come to us he will." Kaname, as usual, was the one to end the discussion. He didn't like this any more than anyone else but he knew these conversations were fruitless to have. It would only worry them further. Once again the room fell silent, the only noise was the quiet sound of the comb being pulled through soft silver strands. They needed to relish these moments, in case they were doomed to disappear.

"Again!" Touga's voice rumbled, taking only a moment to catch his breath Zero stood once more to face his opponent, they were doing magic combat training today and even though it was Zero's favorite type of training it was also far more tiring than the others. Not only to manipulate but control his magic for extended periods of time was hard to do even for a practiced hunter. But he didn't ask for things to be easy. Standing up straight he focused again on the set of targets ahead of him, each target needed a different level of power to break. Logic said that if he used a strong enough attack and destroyed all of them at once that would be the most beneficial but it would take far more energy. He had to be tactical.

'Repeated successive strikes. Whichever ones don't break after the first hit will break on the second, third, and final. Stationary targets don't need as much blunt force as long as there is a constant pressure with no recovery time given.' he thought, deciding how he was going to carry out said strikes was much easier. Split-second explosive power came in very few forms, bullets, which he didn't have, bombs which were illegal, and electricity. A smirk too small for Touga to see came over his lips for a second. "Strike!" the call being the only warning his sensei got as four bolts of lightning hit each target, the one on the far right broke after the first hit, the far left on the second, followed by the remaining two on the third and final bolts. He controlled the aftermath as best he could but Touga ended up with a singed corner on his coat.

"Good," was all the man said but that was all the praise Zero needed to hear from him. Touga was not sentimental or mushy, he didn't like long-winded praise or sugar-coated criticism. He was caring in other ways, like when he used to take the twins out to eat or to the park when their parents were gone on missions that he didn't need to attend. He would play with them when they got bored and teach them basic magic that was fairly harmless but good for pranks to use on their parents. Zero often wondered if his sensei wanted kids of his own but never asked. Touga had taken in Takamiya Kaito around the time he started training initially, Kaito wasn't the nicest person Zero had ever met but he didn't mind training alongside the older hunter.

"Whatever happened to Kaito-san?" he wondered aloud without thinking too much as the two took a break. Touga paused for a moment, apparently having to think about how to answer.

"He's on his own now, he's a good hunter. He's asked about you a couple times. As you probably know, most of the hunter community thought you were dead until recently and some still do. Kaito will come to see you eventually, good hunter or not he needs a partner." came the reply that surprised Zero. Why him? He was six years younger than Kaito and had missed a fair amount of training since being taken in by the academy. Plus, while Kaito hung around him and his brother when they were younger Zero assumed that was because he had to not because he wanted to. Would he willingly look for a partner in Zero? And, even more pressing, was Zero ready to have a partner to begin with? He didn't interact with anyone outside of the night class, Cross, and Touga. He didn't need to, he had heard the words 'socially stunted' float around in rumors about him for a few years but never thought much of them. What would the older think of him? All these questions he couldn't seem to answer made him nervous, he wanted to ask Kaname what he should do but he couldn't.

"He doesn't like me," he decided on stating instead of asking questions, Touga never really liked being asked questions. It was easier to get information by stating something completely wrong that he would correct.

"He does, he was going through a hard time when you and your brother first met him. He's still a punk but he has grown, he needs someone that is reliable. No one better as a hunting partner than a Kiryuu. You will be asked by multiple hunters both younger and older to partner with them once you re-join the ranks at the association, choose wisely who you would put your life on the line for, and be careful who you trust." the man responded distantly, either a fond or bitter memory clogging his brain but Zero couldn't tell which.

"You don't trust anyone," another statement that Zero knew was at least partially true, Touga had never trusted other hunters.

"Your father was the only one I trusted to have as a partner. You are not a replacement for that," the comment stung at first but Zero eventually understood what Touga was attempting to get at. He wasn't his father, or his mother, he wasn't meant to replace them or take their legacy on as his own. He was meant to be his own version of the Kiryuu name. Follow his own path. He was meant to be Zero. They didn't speak anymore, instead basking in the shared silence before Touga decided that was enough of a break and it was time to get back to training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's where I'm going to leave chapter 12, a bit of a soft moment for Zero and Touga since I do love those two with a father/son type relationship. And yes, Kaito will eventually show up as well in the future (maybe next chapter?) so that will be a fun interaction to have. Honest originally when I was planning out this fic I was going to have Touga and Kaito show up when Zero was like 9/10 but then decided against it because it's going to be way more interesting when Kaito comes around now that Zero's older and also turning into a vampire much like his older brother did so...we'll see how he takes that (hint, he's not going to take it all that well) and we'll see how that further affects the already rattled night class. Will they lose their baby to the hunters? Who knows. Not me as of yet. Once again, I'm so sorry this took me so long to get out to you all, I started a new job which is 10+ hours a day 6 days a week (yike) but I will try to get another one out to you sooner rather than later. I have not abandoned you I promise! To all the new readers, I welcome you, to all the continuing readers thank you for sticking with me I really appreciate it. Hope you all have a wonderful night/day or whatever time slot you happen to be in and remember to keep writing, keep reading, and live creative. Until Next Time! ~Len


	13. Rose's Thorns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello! I'm alive and back to posting again, welcome to February y'all! Man January has already been a year for me but hey we're surviving and doing what we can to make it all work and I'm very grateful for that. If you're a football fan and rooted for the Chiefs as I did...welp you know how that went aha...sad. But other than that my father had his birthday on the 2nd of this month and it is officially Black History Month so a quick shout out to all my Black, African, Mixed, etc. athletes, authors, musicians, leaders, and creators that have inspired me so much throughout my life to be the creative being you all have to deal with. Back to what you're here for, chapter 13! I am moving the plot forward a little faster than I originally intended but I hope it's not too obvious. Some angst and graphic details but nothing over the top this time around. I am including telepathic conversation between Kaname and Zero in this chapter.
> 
> For Your Reference:
> 
> 'Words with an apostrophe on each side such as this is regular inner monologue/thoughts'
> 
> 'Italisized words within apostrophes such as this are telepathic conversation,'
> 
> "Italizided words in quotations are usually conversations from the past and or memories not in the current timeline." and of course regular speech/conversation is in the normal quotation marks.
> 
> Hopefully, that clears any possible confusion, when it comes to what others can and can't hear and any context clues that may help you along if you're confused. As for right now Please enjoy, and thanks for being here! ~Len

He felt he shouldn't really be surprised at the sudden request, he hadn't been spending much time with the night class lately in favor of training. He was a very hard worker but he didn't feel like he was overdoing it. Sure he was tired, he had little time to do much else besides train or study, but that didn't bother him. He barely noticed the changes, he felt more alive than he had in years. He missed the grueling routines, feeling as though he was clawing for breath at the end of every day. And the best part, though he didn't dare say this to Kaname, he slept so soundly. There were no nightmares, no time to think about turning into a level E, no thoughts clouded his mind trying to convince him that he was worth nothing. They were pushed so far back into his mind he didn't even realize they were there most days. It was liberating. He felt _normal_ for once. And yet, he couldn't explain this to the vampire prince or his loyal nobles. What they saw was apparently something much different which is why he was in his room surrounded by vampires telling him he was going to take a break from training whether he liked it or not. He grit his teeth, hugging his knees to his chest hunched over an open book of ancient magic, he didn't want to let this new life go. He didn't want a break, he couldn't afford one. "I promise it won't be that bad, it's just for a week. Yagari-san has a mission to go on that will take a few days and you want him to get some rest before you go back to training." Takuma tried, he could see there was something there, Zero didn't want to argue but something was keeping him from expressing the unease he couldn't physically hide even when his face gave nothing specific away. The hunched posture backed up against his headboard, head dipped just enough so no one could see his eyes clearly, telling signs there was something going on. But, as usual, he was lip-locked. Regardless he nodded to Takuma's words which brought on a collective mental sigh of relief for the nobles. With that situation out of the way Kaname subtly dismissed his nobles, he wanted to speak with the boy alone.

"Zero," that gentle yet compelling tone could break anyone's resolve no matter how strong, but Zero wasn't anyone, instead he pressed himself further away from the alpha vampire. Fear seeping into his veins at what this supposed week of rest could bring. He hadn't had much time to contemplate being a vampire, he knew the logistics of what being turned was like and knew if nothing was done he would eventually be consumed with bloodlust. But asking for help was not his strong suit, partially because he never really needed it outside of the night his parents were murdered and partially because he didn't know what would come from asking. It wasn't exactly a short journey to become accepted by the night class for being a hunter, he could have shuddered at the thought of attempting that task again with something even lower on the scale than an orphaned hunter. "Zero, may I have your attention?" the question held a hint of plea that threatened once again to shatter the younger's resolve like sugar glass against a mallet. Slowly he lifted his head a little more than an inch, he still didn't look at Kaname, for fear he would spill his guts on the floor if he so much as caught a glance at those eyes. But he wasn't rude enough to ignore him and Kaname knew when he was listening even when he didn't talk. "There's something wrong, you are not just consumed by your training in order to become a recognized force or redeem yourself to the association." the pureblood continued once he was acknowledged. Zero inwardly winced, he had been too obvious, he didn't want to be having this conversation. Not with Kaname, not with anyone. It was bad enough Cross and Touga knew. "You are hiding, Zero," it was a statement that may as well have been his undoing. That slow-spreading fear took no time to turn into panic. He couldn't lie to the pureblood but neither could he be completely honest. He was trapped.

Takuma barely felt the spark of magic before hearing a crash, speeding upstairs with Shiki in tow he threw open Zero's door. The hunter was backed up against the headboard on his bed, rose vines had burst through the wooden floor forcing the pureblood to the other side of the room. Kaname looked just as surprised and remained still in an effort not to get cut by a pair of thin spike-covered vines that would lash out if the vampires attempted to get close. 'What is this?' the blond wondered, trying to inspect the vines without getting too close. They were all connected to each other coming from one central vine on the boy's bed. "What happened?" he carefully voiced when neither Zero nor Kaname were moving from their positions. Upon a more studied look, Takuma noticed the vines weren't coming from next to him but _from_ him. Or, more specifically, from the gun that was attached to his side. He could just barely see the glint of metal from under the thick red and black vines. From his hand to his shoulder the vines wrapped tightly, red liquid seeped from where thorns dug into Zero's skin. Shiki carefully slipped alongside the wall of the room to get closer to the young hunter without causing more damage as Takuma tried to get a better read on the situation. The boy's heart rate was slow as though he was too calm. Calculating. He knew who was in the room, he could see them all but he wasn't really _looking_ at any of them. "Are you alright, Kaname?" Takuma turned his attention briefly to the elder vampire.

"Yes," the reply was slow and he never took his eyes off the hunter.

"He's bleeding, the thorns are coming from him...but I'm not sure where...Zero? Can you hear me?" Shiki asked slowly, making sure to stay as calm as possible. There was no response, no change in posture, amethyst eyes stayed still and icy. Kaname was debating the idea of calling Cross or even Yagari but...it was the _night class_ that knew Zero the best, that had worked with him the most. It was unlikely the others would be able to provide much more than they themselves could.

'Selfish,' the word came to mind, he inwardly winced, he was being selfish. He wanted Zero to come to _him_ first. Taking a breath the pureblood moved slowly through the mess of brambles, he likely wouldn't be able to come out of this completely unscratched but his concern wasn't on himself.

"Do you think you can get close to him?" Takuma guessed that was what Kaname was going to attempt to do in order to bring the boy back to the present with them but it wasn't going to be easy.

"I don't know, but I don't see any other options." Kaname kept moving forward, he was able to reach the bed without getting cut but that was the easy part. Getting to Zero was going to be difficult, he needed to be quick without rushing the boy. He could see what Shiki was talking about, growing concerned at the amount of blood Zero was possibly losing by the minute. 'If he falls unconscious will they go away?' once again, Kaname wished he had paid more attention in the few lectures they had been given about hunter magic and its properties. With bated breath he inched closer to the silverette, he could feel those eyes train on his every movement but there was no sign that Zero actually recognized him. Kaname stilled, what was he supposed to do now anyway? Even if he restrained Zero there was no promise the thorns wouldn't attack him or anyone else. In his moment of distraction, a previously hidden vine moved to cut across his hand. The vampire pulled away but the long bramble managed to cut a shallow slit across the back of his hand. Kaname stared at it as blood bubbled to the surface, it wasn't deep but it stung and burned like acid. That was the least of his worries, however, even a drop of blood from a pureblood could cause low-level vampires to go mad with bloodlust. The academy could get attacked if he wasn't careful, sending a look to Takuma and Shiki he silently ordered them to take care of the possible problem and quell the nobles downstairs. Knowing the situation could get very ugly the two followed the order without complaint leaving the pureblood with the hunter. Kaname watched after them, locking the door with his own magic before he turned back to Zero and ceased all movement when their eyes met.

It was as though the world had slowed to a crawl, lilac-amethyst was taken over by a blooming ruby crimson. Zero never shifted from his position, but his body tensed, sharp fangs elongating, searching for flesh. Searching for blood. Specifically, Kaname's blood. It would be wrong to say Kaname was entirely shocked, under the circumstances Zero arrived at the academy and the recent behavior, he really should have put two and two together, and had it been any normal being he would have. But this was Zero. The strong hunter child that he and the night class had come to know and care for in their own ways. Now it made sense, why the boy had become so distant, why he pushed others away, why he pleaded to be trained. 'He's been trying to keep the academy safe from himself...he knew what he was going to turn into,' though he didn't want to think about what Zero would have done had he not been forced to reveal his vampire nature, Kaname could only assume there was a long-drawn-out solidified plan locked in the depths of the hunter's mind. "Zero..." the name slipped out before he even realized he said it. This time there was a response, Zero's eyes seemed to focus on him through the sea of red, his heartbeat picked up once more and the thorns slowly began to retreat. The smell of salt, emotions of fear and anger, overpowered the hunger that had taken control. Zero was once again aware of where he was, he was aware of Kaname, and he was aware of what just happened.

'I'm sorry,' he swallowed, the words proving too thick in his throat to force them out. He felt like he was suffocating. Kaname knew. He couldn't look at the elite vampire, vision blurring violently as tears assaulted his eyes, he could only just make out a hand coming toward him. 'Please...I'm sorry,' once again the words failed to reach any ears but his own, resonating in his mind. 'Rose, make it stop, make it stop!' he begged to the only being he knew could answer him, Rose didn't have a voice but her magic reacted with his. Her thorns protected him. Could they protect him from himself? He didn't even know what he was begging her to stop, Kaname wasn't doing anything, the nobles weren't there, the only problem in the room right now was him. He felt the thorns begin to circle his wrist and snake their way up the fresh tracks in his arm. She ensnared his neck, taking from the main veins just as Shizuka had done seven years ago. It was a familiar pain that numbed his mind. As she took from him Zero's body began to feel drained and slow. There was a calmness that took over as physical feeling began to ebb away from beneath him. The hand he knew to belong to the pureblood found its way under his head, it combed through his hair and gently massaged his scalp. He didn't feel himself being lifted upward, he didn't notice the small cut the vampire had made on his own neck. Warmth filled his mouth, spreading through his body when he had to swallow, it was fiery yet smooth. He could feel it travel to his stomach and bleed into his limbs. He felt so warm. So tired. The heat combined with a solid rhythmic pulse in his ears had his eyes close and body limp. Even if he wanted to fight the fatigue he couldn't move even the smallest of muscles. 'Kaname...' the name rolled through his mind, he didn't know what the pureblood did, maybe this was a way to kill level Es humanely? If so he was glad it was the pureblood that did it, he would have felt bad if it had been Shiki or Takuma, Kaname knew what had to be done. For Yuuki and for the vampire community.

'Sleep, Zero, you have a long journey ahead of you when you wake.' Kaname spoke to the sleeping hunter in his arms, it was a risk forcing him into a partial blood bond without his knowledge or consent but it was a risk he was willing to take. He wasn't about to give up this one to madness, to Shizuka, Cross or even Yuuki. Zero was going to stay with them, live with them, thrive among them. He would need to break the news to the nobles but whatever their issues would be he didn't care. As Rose's thorns retreated once again influenced by his power running through the hunter's veins he smiled a bit seeing the wounds close quickly without leaving any indication of being there. In their place, along his pale skin, the black rose crest of the Kuran Clan etched itself on Zero's neck with some vines intertwining around the petal's edges. A symbol announcing the status of the new level C noble that possessed a hunter background. He would not have to worry about Zero falling any further, he just hoped the clearly traumatized teen would understand and not try anything too reckless once he woke.

Bleary eyes were slowly dragged open as Zero's senses began to wake him, he wasn't dead, he could smell Kaname and several other nobles on his clothes and in the room. The scents were fresh and Kaname's stood out particularly strongly around the room. It didn't take long to deduce he had been moved into the elite vampire's personal chambers. 'What happened?' his head was fuzzy, despite his heightened senses nothing was coming through as clear as usual. As he tried to register the visual scenery the room started to spin violently, prompting an immediate low moan as he curled into his stomach. He could feel his body go cold and start to sweat profusely quickly followed by a wave of nausea. Biting back the bile that rose in his throat a helpless whine he could only assume was from him breached his ears.

 _'Zero, are you awake?'_ Kaname's voice in his head shocked him momentarily from his pain, the pureblood was talking to him but he wasn't in the room. He wasn't hearing him with his ears. Was it real? Was something else going on? Could he even respond to the vampire? Another whimper was the only thing he managed.

'Kaname, it hurts...' he cried out in his mind, hoping it would reach him somehow. He didn't know what was going on. Another wave of nausea overtook his body, this time he wasn't able to hold it back, body shaking like a leaf as he emptied acid into a conveniently placed trash bin. Breath labored, unable to focus, the hunter didn't notice Kaname come into the room or feel the bed dip next to him until he was pulled back from the edge. A wet cloth wiped his forehead and mouth before disappearing once more. It was much colder than normal meaning he probably had a fever. A wet cloth returned to his forehead as he was laid back down, he could make out the dark curly hair he knew to belong to the vampire prince but no other features were visually clear.

"Rest," the command was gentle, an unfamiliar warmth spread through his body. Magic, he assumed, influenced his body to shut itself down and force him back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand that's where I'm going to leave off this chapter, as always thank you to everyone that has joined or accompanied me on this journey. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. As for what's coming in the future, I'm thinking about posting another chapter to 'Not Supposed To' if anyone is interested in that you can be on the lookout and I need to get chapter 3 out of Body Art for all my BKDK MHA fans out there. As for this fic, I don't know exactly when I'll be able to get another 3-4k words down. It definitely won't be in a single session but I'm hoping for a day off sometime soon and to post chapter 14 in the next couple of weeks but as usual please don't quote me on that. Until then, I hope you had a wonderful Lunar New Year if you celebrate that, an awesome Valentine's Day if you do things for that, or just a good week if you're content to curl up with a tablet or book and a good drink, some games, a puzzle, or something else entirely. Have a wonderful night/day or whatever time slot you're in and always keep reading, keep writing, and live creative. Until Next Time! ~Len

**Author's Note:**

> And that is where I will leave you for this chapter, a fun little intro to My Name...Is Zero. I've yet to write a child!fic and actually post it so this should be a fun one for all of us. As usual, pairings are as much of a mystery to me as they are to you so if you have some you'd like to see (any that take place with Zero won't happen until he's aged up but I will do foreshadowing when he's younger) please let me know in comments! I don't live off reviews but I do appreciate them, I like to chat with my readers, if you're new here you'll get used to it I promise. If you hated it, I'm not upset but I do ask that you keep the explosive negativity to a minimum. I will try my best to post twice a month (just like with Silver Wings if you followed that towards the end) and keep chapter-length between 2-4k the exception usually being the first and final chapters. I look forward to seeing you again, have a wonderful day/evening, and remember to keep writing, keep reading, and live creative. ~Len


End file.
